AFI Fest 2021: Parallel Mothers Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s AFI Fest, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

Whenever Pedro Almodóvar and Penélope Cruz come together for anything, it’s usually magic. Their eighth collaboration, Parallel Mothers, was the opening night film at this year’s Venice Film Festival. This drama may not all work but it still saw both at the top of their games as they tell a compelling tale about the meaning of life and death and the power of the maternal bond. Though this may be a foreign language film which already won’t be for everyone, its themes are universal and are sure to connect with most audiences. Although the film turns to melodrama at times in order to generate emotion, it is nonetheless offers a tense and engaging generational narrative thanks to the spectacular performances and chemistry between the aforementioned Cruz and newcomer Milena Smit who also dazzles as the titular mothers. Maybe the film could have been a touch shorter, already clocking in at the 2 hour mark, but those performances make it more than worth it.

Parallel Mothers follows a pair of women named Janis (Cruz) and Ana (Smit) who shared a hospital room while each pregnant and giving birth. Though relatively quick, the two women from much different generations, life experience, and circumstances leading to their respective pregnancies formed a deep bond with one another which would evolve into something much more complicated as that bond was certainly tested. When it seemed like each would go their separate ways and live their lives with their new children, this was clearly never going to be the case as fate brought them back together though their relationship this time around was under much different circumstances.

The evolution of Janis and Ana’s ensuing relationship and its many ups and downs was easily the best part of Parallel Mothers. That being said, it wasn’t always necessarily easy to watch. Little did they know, it would become a ticking time bomb of internal conflict thus leaving audiences to wonder what will happen to either woman after the inevitable moment where things would explode. Once they finally did, it was definitely packed an emotional wallop. Over the course of the film, one can’t help but become emotionally invested in these characters as all the work done by the film’s strong script paid off by the end.

However in the end, all the strong work would not have worked if not for the spectacular performances from Cruz and Smit as Janis and Ana and their great chemistry. The masterclass in emotional subtly from each of them was another highlight. Cruz was heartbreaking as a woman who would be put through the ringer emotionally but had no choice but to remain strong, putting her own feelings aside in favor for what was right. Though it wasn’t easy, she navigated that tight rope with relative ease. The same could be said to a lesser extent for Smit whose contrasting energy made for a fun dynamic as she more than held her own alongside Cruz.

At the end of the day, Parallel Mothers is another winner. Bring tissues.

 still courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.