---
title: "Talk to Her"
year: 2002
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/talk-to-her"
fi1m_id: "talk-to-her"
imdb_id: "tt0287467"
tmdb_id: 64
wikidata_id: "Q478780"
fi1m_score: 84
critics_score: 86
critics_reviews: 8
published: "2026-09-14"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:28.252633+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Talk to Her (2002)

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar · 1h 52m · MPA R · Drama, Romance

## Identity

Talk to Her

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/talk-to-her
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** talk-to-her
- **IMDb ID:** tt0287467
- **TMDB ID:** 64
- **Wikidata ID:** Q478780
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0287467/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/64, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q478780

**Fi1m score: 84** · Critics 86 from 8 reviews

*In a sentence:* Two men talk about love; the women are in no position to correct them

> Pedro Almodóvar’s drama about two men caring for women in comas is moving, funny and troubling. Javier Cámara and Darío Grandinetti make the friendship matter, though the film can be too forgiving of its men.

## Synopsis

Benigno (Javier Cámara) and Marco (Darío Grandinetti) care for two women in comas, Alicia (Leonor Watling) and Lydia (Rosario Flores). Their days centre on people who cannot respond, and the men find company in each other. As their friendship develops, their ideas about affection, devotion and communication come into question. Pedro Almodóvar’s drama follows the men as they try to make sense of relationships in which they do the talking for both sides. Dance and the physical routines of care give the body a part in a story about loneliness and the need to be heard.

## Review

*Talk to Her* is a moving, unsettling drama, with a tenderness that sometimes makes its men too easy to excuse. Pedro Almodóvar builds it around Benigno and Marco, who grow close while caring for women in comas. The immediate appeal is simple: people are lonely, someone needs looking after, and a friendship gives the carers someone who can answer them. But we are also being asked to consider how much a man can know about a woman who cannot correct him.

Javier Cámara’s Benigno gives the film much of its warmth, and Cámara is good enough to make that warmth a source of unease. His attentiveness invites us to regard him generously before we have considered what he expects in return. Darío Grandinetti’s Marco makes the friendship convincing without turning the two men into interchangeable examples of loneliness. Their company matters because the film allows care, need and self-interest to become difficult to separate, as they can be in relationships where both people are awake.

The physiotherapy moved us more than we expected. The practical attention to a body makes the women’s dependence painfully clear, while giving the men something to do with feelings they cannot resolve. Leonor Watling’s Alicia and Rosario Flores’s Lydia remain at the centre of that discomfort: their inability to answer leaves space for others to speak on their behalf. Almodóvar makes us feel the appeal of such devotion, then gives us reason to question our response.

Javier Aguirresarobe’s gliding camera keeps our attention on bodies, finding connections between the dance passages and the physical business of care. The images are composed with a calm that makes the men’s preoccupation easier to understand. The Pina Bausch dance passages allow movement to carry feelings that the conversations struggle to express. We do not need an explanation of every movement to recognise the need for contact.

José Salcedo’s editing gives the film a measured rhythm that keeps its improbable melodrama from becoming breathless. There is time to register an emotion before the next demand is made on us. The music by Alberto Iglesias and Vicente Amigo is effective, though less memorable to us than the movement of bodies. Even the silent-film fantasy, which might have seemed an indulgence, has a place in this mixture of bodily comedy and distress. Its extravagance lets Almodóvar be funny without abandoning the unease.

The reservation is that the film can be too considerate towards the men whose feelings occupy so much of it. Almodóvar’s sympathy is persuasive enough to make us accept their accounts of themselves before properly considering the women. That is a useful discomfort when the film acknowledges it, and a limitation when the polished images encourage us to enjoy the sadness without examining it. Watling and Flores cannot quite overcome the imbalance built into a story where the people being cared for have so little chance to object.

As a melodrama, it earns its unlikely events through the credibility of the two central performances. Cámara and Grandinetti make the friendship worth caring about, even when Almodóvar’s theatrical flourishes threaten to distract from it. We recommend it for that difficult closeness, with a reservation about how readily the film asks us to forgive. Give it your attention, but keep a little scepticism for the men at the bedside.

*Fi1m score 84, published 14 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews are uniformly positive, with praise clustering around Almodóvar’s quieter tone and his ability to draw complicated feelings from improbable melodrama. Most critics admire the way he brings tenderness, loneliness and troubling obsession into the same story without losing his taste for bodily comedy or theatrical flourishes. The performances receive broad approval, with The AV Club particularly praising Javier Cámara, while the dance sequences, melancholy imagery and silent film-within-the-film attract repeated attention.

The differences concern emphasis more than verdict: some critics celebrate the emotional restraint, while others value the extravagant touches that survive it. Slant Magazine offers the clearest formal reservation, finding the theatrical style burdensome even as it praises the mixture of comedy and drama. The Guardian, meanwhile, sees sympathy and stylisation as making potentially horrific material approachable. The consensus remains strongly favourable, though the reviews vary in how much weight they give the story’s ethical discomfort.

## Straight answers

**Is Talk to Her worth watching?**

*Talk to Her* is worth watching for anyone who can sit with a drama that is tender and uncomfortable at the same time, and we scored it 84. Javier Cámara and Darío Grandinetti make the friendship between two men caring for women in comas moving and often funny. Our reservation is that Pedro Almodóvar forgives his men rather too readily, so keep some scepticism for them.

**How long is Talk to Her, and what is it rated?**

*Talk to Her* runs 1h 52m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a drama and romance film.

**Where can I watch Talk to Her in the US?**

*Talk to Her* is not on any streaming or rental service in the US at the moment. It is available in 8 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Talk to Her, and is it suitable for children?**

*Talk to Her* is not violent or frightening in any conventional sense, but it is an adult drama and not suitable for children. It has no UK certificate and carries an R in the United States, which reflects its subject matter: two men devoted to women who cannot respond, with an unease about what one of them expects in return. Teenagers old enough to think about consent and dependence may find it worth discussing.

**What should I watch after Talk to Her?**

After *Talk to Her*, try [*Persona*](https://film.one/film/persona) (1966, Fi1m 89): Another intimate encounter where silence makes another person’s certainty difficult to bear. Then [*The Piano*](https://film.one/film/the-piano) (1993, Fi1m 88): For desire expressed through music, and intimacy made difficult by unequal power; and [*In the Mood for Love*](https://film.one/film/in-the-mood-for-love) (2000, Fi1m 91): For carefully controlled feeling, lonely company and the ache of unspoken desire.

### Reviews we read (13)

- **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (4/4): The critic praises the film's ability to evoke complex emotions from improbable melodrama and kinky themes through the devoted, obsessive care two men give to comatose women. He singles out the director's skill in blending soap-opera elements with tragedy and a standout silent-film fantasy sequence for particular admiration. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/talk-to-her-2002)
- **Time Out**, GA (90/100, inferred): The film grows from an apparently insubstantial confection into Almodóvar's most mature and rewarding work alongside All About My Mother. It combines profound emotion, ethical inquiry, high art and bodily gags while exploring love, loss, loneliness and the need for honest communication. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/talk-to-her)
- **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (85/100, inferred): Almodóvar has traded pop punch for a minor key in his later work, finding new dramatic possibilities. The film excels in its gentle rhymes between tragedy and happiness, carried by strong male performances especially Javier Cámara. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/talk-to-her-1798198057)
- **The New Yorker**, David Denby (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a tender, psychologically probing exploration of male adoration and romantic obsession centered on two men caring for comatose women. He singles out the smooth, melancholy imagery, the framing Pina Bausch dance sequences, and the director's newfound calm and emotional generosity for praise. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2002/11/25/obsessions)
- **Screen Daily** (80/100, inferred): Almodóvar returns to his roots with a modest, serious and well-rounded straight drama that maintains freshness and originality. It mixes gender roles and features strong performances, memorable imagery and a universal subject matter that could attract wider audiences. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/talk-to-her-hable-con-ella/408639.article)
- **Slant Magazine**, Ed Gonzalez (80/100, inferred): Though weighed down by its jazzy-theatrical formalism, the film pushes a uniquely soulful blend of comedy and drama. It evocatively suggests the need for spiritual invention and rebirth of body and spirit through Almodóvar's gliding camera and character dynamics. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/talk-to-her/)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (80/100, inferred): Almodóvar's film is calmer and less extravagant than his previous work but retains his unmistakable signature of theatricality and suspense. It explores two men's relationships with women in comas with imaginative warmth that neutralises potentially horrific elements through sympathy and stylisation. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/aug/23/1)
- **Empire**, Matthew Turner: The critic declares it Almodóvar on top form with a personal film exploring story-telling, loneliness, friendship and communication. The review singles out the master-stroke of the saucy silent film-within-the-film called Shrinking Lover for its black humour and clever purpose. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/talk-review/)
- **Evening Standard**: The critic hails Almodóvar as having come of age, with a human, recognisably life-like film that is quiet in tone, ravishingly cool in looks and superbly controlled in rhythm. The review singles out the eloquent use of the body in dance, physiotherapy and ritual as well as the surprising, extravagant stylistic elements like the silent film-within-the-film. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/pedro-proves-hes-one-of-the-greats-7381960.html)
- **IndieWire**: The film is a postmodern melodrama that explores Almodóvar's signature themes with maturity. It highlights the director's evolving style in blending emotional depth with his established motifs. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-the-postmodern-melodrama-of-almodovars-talk-to-her-80113/)
- **The Independent**: The critic calls it Almodóvar's latest and perhaps greatest film, a romantic drama surpassing even All About My Mother in psychological intricacy and perverse comedy. The review singles out the film's profound inquiry into the secret hearts of modern urban loners and the mesmerising performances by Javier Cámara and Darío Grandinetti. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/talk-to-her-15-174292.html)
- **Collider**, Chris Sasaguay (85/100, inferred): The critic calls it a captivating Oscar-winning masterpiece that explores male loneliness through an unlikely friendship tested by disturbing violence. The film is praised for its visual style and script but noted for sinking into darkness with a heavy tragic tone. [Read](https://collider.com/talk-to-her-pedro-almodovar/)
- **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray: The critic finds the film absorbing rather than depressing and uplifting rather than sad. They single out the perfectly judged performances of the two male leads as they form an unexpected friendship while caring for women in comas. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/talk-to-her-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)

## Details

- **Director:** Pedro Almodóvar
- **Director:** Pedro Almodóvar
- **Screenplay:** Pedro Almodóvar
- **Writer:** Pedro Almodóvar
- **Cinematography:** Javier Aguirresarobe
- **Editor:** José Salcedo
- **Music:** Vicente Amigo, Alberto Iglesias
- **Costume design:** Sonia Grande
- **Cast:** Javier Cámara as Benigno; Darío Grandinetti as Marco; Leonor Watling as Alicia; Rosario Flores as Lydia; Mariola Fuentes as Rosa; Geraldine Chaplin as Katerina Bilova; Pina Bausch as Bailarine; Malou Airaudo as Bailarine
- **Runtime:** 1h 52m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 22 November 2002
- **Genres:** Drama, Romance
- **Budget:** $6 million
- **Box office:** $65 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwJGTuxj1t0

## Where to watch in the US

Not streaming, renting or buying in the US at the last check.

Also available in: AT, BR, CL, CO, ES, IT, MX, NL. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2003: Best Director (nominated); Best Writing, Original Screenplay (won)
- European Film Award for Best Actor 2002: European Film Award for Best Actor (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Cinematographer 2002: European Film Award for Best Cinematographer (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Director 2002: European Film Award for Best Director (won)
- European Film Award for Best Film 2002: European Film Award for Best Film (won)
- European Film Award for Best Screenwriter 2002: European Film Award for Best Screenwriter (won)
- European Film Award - People's Choice Award for Best Director 2002: European Film Award - People's Choice Award for Best Director (won)
- Jameson People's Choice Award for Best Actor 2002: Jameson People's Choice Award for Best Actor (won)

## If you liked this

- *Persona* (1966), Fi1m 89: Another intimate encounter where silence makes another person’s certainty difficult to bear. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/persona.md)
- *The Piano* (1993), Fi1m 88: For desire expressed through music, and intimacy made difficult by unequal power. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-piano.md)
- *In the Mood for Love* (2000), Fi1m 91: For carefully controlled feeling, lonely company and the ache of unspoken desire. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/in-the-mood-for-love.md)
- *All About My Mother* (1999), Fi1m 88: Almodóvar gives grief, performance and improvised families room to be funny. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/all-about-my-mother.md)
- *Poetry* (2010), Fi1m 87: Another patient drama that asks how tenderness can coexist with moral evasion. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/poetry.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/talk-to-her