It’s unlikely to be remembered with any great fondness by all but Almodovar diehards, its self-regarding inwardness suggesting that he’s struggling, as his hero is here, to find something new to say.
Pain and Glory(Dolor y gloria)
✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ Read critic reviews
Spain · 2019
Rated R · 1h 54m
Director Pedro Almodóvar
Starring Antonio Banderas, Asier Etxeandia, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Nora Navas
Genre Drama
Add to Watchlist
Please login to add films to your watchlist.
Aging film director Salvador Mallo battles chronic pain. When a cinema in Madrid hosts a screening of one of his first films, he reconnects with one of the actors and starts using heroin for his pain. Salvador attempts to come to terms with his childhood in the country and his early days in Madrid.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
The Playlist by Bradley Warren
A beautiful, full-hearted celebration of the craft of filmmaking.
This is an especially personal work, anchored by the director’s on-off muse Antonio Banderas in perhaps his greatest performance and sweeps through the Spanish maestro’s recurrent themes: high melodrama and kitsch comedy, piety and carnal lust, sex and death, human pain and transcendent glory.
The filmmaker’s best and most personal movie in years.
Los Angeles Times by Justin Chang
But if the tone is more restrained, more elegiac, and lacking that signature Almodóvar outrageousness, the emotional force still knocks you sideways.
The Guardian by Peter Bradshaw
As ever, Almodóvar has made a film about pleasure, which is itself a pleasure: witty, intelligent and sensuous.
A mature work of meticulously tuned meta-fiction.
Pedro Almodóvar’s latest only occasionally captures the spry, comedic rhythms and impassioned intensity of his finest work.
The film often rings hollow.
The effect is a patchwork rather than an interwoven whole; the wistfully self-reflexive tone will appeal to fans of the less emphatic, more meditative end of the Almodovar spectrum.
Users who liked this film also liked
My Life Without Me
What would you do if you had two months left to live?
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain, Canada • 2003
- Director Isabel Coixet
- Cast Sarah Polley, Amanda Plummer, Scott Speedman, Mark Ruffalo, Leonor Watling, Debbie Harry
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Martin Mystery
(Martin Mystère)
Stepsiblings Martin and Diana investigate the paranormal and protect Earth from the supernatural.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Canada, Italy • 2003
- Creator David Michel
- Cast Alexis Tomassian, Dorothée Pousséo, Sylvain Lemarie, Yann Le Madic, Laurence Dourlens, Emmanuel Garijo
- Genre Action & Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
- Available on The Roku Channel
Bad Education
(La mala educación)
A filmmaker must confront uncomfortable memories when he receives a script from an old friend.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain • 2004
- Director Pedro Almodóvar
- Cast Gael García Bernal, Fele Martínez, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Lluís Homar, Francisco Maestre, Francisco Boira
- Genre Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller, Mystery
- Available on Max Amazon Channel, Max, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube, AMC on Demand
Volver
Two daughters encounter their mother's spirit after a family tragedy.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain • 2006
- Director Pedro Almodóvar
- Cast Penélope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Dueñas, Blanca Portillo, Yohana Cobo, Chus Lampreave
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube, AMC on Demand
Live Flesh
(Carne trémula)
An ex-convict takes revenge on those who put him behind bars.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain, France • 1997
- Director Pedro Almodóvar
- Cast Liberto Rabal, Francesca Neri, Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Ángela Molina, José Sancho
- Genre Drama, Romance, Thriller
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
(Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios)
Spanish icon of cinema Pedro Almodovar's jaunty feminist masterpiece.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain • 1988
- Director Pedro Almodóvar
- Cast Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas, Julieta Serrano, María Barranco, Rossy de Palma, Kiti Mánver
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, AMC on Demand
I'm So Excited!
(Los amantes pasajeros)
The crew on a malfunctioning plane to Mexico City distracts frightened passengers with hilarious antics.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain • 2013
- Director Pedro Almodóvar
- Cast Antonio Banderas, Penélope Cruz, Coté Soler, Antonio de la Torre, Hugo Silva, Miguel Ángel Silvestre
- Genre Comedy
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube
Julieta
This is my life --- it is for you.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain • 2016
- Director Pedro Almodóvar
- Cast Emma Suárez, Adriana Ugarte, Daniel Grao, Inma Cuesta, Darío Grandinetti, Michelle Jenner
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Starz Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand
Amanda
Solitary daydreamer David must take charge of his niece, Amanda, after his elder sister is brutally killed in an attack.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2018
- Director Mikhaël Hers
- Cast Vincent Lacoste, Isaure Multrier, Stacy Martin, Ophélia Kolb, Marianne Basler, Jonathan Cohen
- Genre Drama
- Available on Kanopy
The Golden Glove
(Der Goldene Handschuh)
- ✭ ✭
- Germany, France • 2019
- Director Fatih Akin
- Cast Jonas Dassler, Margarethe Tiesel, Katja Studt, Martina Eitner-Acheampong, Tristan Göbel, Greta Sophie Schmidt
- Genre Drama, Thriller, Crime
- Available on AMC+, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, Kanopy
El Angel
(El Ángel)
When teenage thief Carlitos meets Ramon at school, the two embark on a journey of discovery, love, and crime.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Argentina, Spain • 2018
- Director Luis Ortega
- Cast Lorenzo Ferro, Chino Darín, Mercedes Morán, Daniel Fanego, Luis Gnecco, Cecilia Roth
- Genre Crime, Drama
- Available on fuboTV, Dekkoo, Google Play Movies, Vudu, YouTube, Amazon Video, Crackle, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, VUDU Free, Plex, Plex Player
The Ideal Palace
(L'Incroyable Histoire du facteur Cheval)
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Belgium • 2019
- Director Nils Tavernier
- Cast Jacques Gamblin, Laetitia Casta, Florence Thomassin, Bernard Le Coq, Natacha Lindinger, Zélie Rixhon
- Genre History, Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Carmen & Lola
(Carmen y Lola)
Two young women from a staunchly traditional Roma community on the outskirts of Madrid find themselves unexpectedly drawn to one another.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain • 2018
- Director Arantxa Echevarria
- Cast Rosy Rodriguez, Zaira Romero, Moreno Borja, Rafaela León, Carolina Yuste, Juan José Jiménez
- Genre Romance, Drama
- Available on Flix Premiere, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Revry, Filmzie, Freevee, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Player, Reveel
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
(Portrait de la jeune fille en feu)
Marianne, a painter, is commissioned to do the wedding portrait of Héloïse, a young woman who has just left the convent.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2019
- Director Céline Sciamma
- Cast Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luàna Bajrami, Valeria Golino, Christel Baras, Armande Boulanger
- Genre Drama, History, Romance
- Available on Hulu, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, YouTube, Kanopy
The Two Popes
A Cardinal requests permission from Pope Benedict XVI to resign from the Church after being frustrated with the direction it is going.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, Italy • 2019
- Director Fernando Meirelles
- Cast Jonathan Pryce, Anthony Hopkins, Sidney Cole, Juan Minujín, Federico Torre
- Genre Drama
- Available on Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads
Sibyl
A jaded psychotherapist becomes obsessed with a troubled young actress.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2019
- Director Justine Triet
- Cast Virginie Efira, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Gaspard Ulliel, Niels Schneider, Sandra Hüller
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, MUBI, Hoopla, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, Freevee, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Player
Fisherman’s Friends
Some Bands Can't Be Managed
- ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom • 2019
- Director Chris Foggin
- Cast Daniel Mays, James Purefoy, Tuppence Middleton, David Hayman, Dave Johns, Sam Swainsbury
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Starz, Hoopla, Starz Roku Premium Channel, Starz Amazon Channel, Starz Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy
The Traitor
(Il traditore)
After trying to leave the mafia for Brazil, Tommaso Buscetta is forced to return to Italy and become an informant.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France, Germany • 2019
- Director Marco Bellocchio
- Cast Pierfrancesco Favino, Maria Fernanda Cândido, Fabrizio Ferracane, Fausto Russo Alesi, Luigi Lo Cascio, Bruno Cariello
- Genre Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Available on Starz, Starz Roku Premium Channel, Starz Amazon Channel, Starz Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube, AMC on Demand
Tomorrow's a New Day
(Domani è un altro giorno)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy • 2019
- Director Simone Spada
- Cast Valerio Mastandrea, Marco Giallini, Anna Ferzetti, Andrea Arcangeli, Fabrizia Sacchi, Stefano Fregni
- Genre Drama, Comedy
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Antonio Banderas is truly amazing in this film! Another beautiful film about memory, family, and creativity from Almodóvar.
This is an incredibly beautiful movie visually, with wonderful colors in every scene. It's also a very moving and insightful movie. It's autobiographical, but it's never self-indulgent. It brings you into the world of its main character and takes you on his consistently interesting internal journey.
Pedro Almodóvar's own private 8½. The present blends seamlessly into the past with heartbreaking moments and lingering kisses - until fiction parallels with reality in one of the most magical endings that you will ever witness on screen.