Pedro Almodovar'S The room next door AND Marianne Heller'S Night TroyThe two most anticipated films screening at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday night are in some ways very similar: Both are adaptations of novels by filmmakers who have been bringing quality films to TIFF for years, and both center on complex female leads played by A-list actresses. But their receptions at the festival and their future awards prospects couldn’t be more different.
The room next doorwhich is the English-language feature-length directorial debut of Spain's Almodóvar, arrived in Toronto via the Venice Film Festival, and premiered here just hours after the Venice jury awarded the film its highest honor, the Golden Lion, which is by some measures the most important first prize at a major film festival that the 74-year-old has won. author has never been awarded.
Adapted from Sigrid Nunez2020 novel What are you going through?the film stars two Oscar-winning heavyweights — Tilda Swintonwith whom Almodóvar had already collaborated in the 2020 short film The human voiceAND Juliana Mooreworking with him for the first time — as old friends who have drifted apart but are reconnected after Moore’s character, a bestselling author, learns that Swinton’s character, a veteran war correspondent, has received a grim diagnosis. Their rekindled friendship is then tested by an unusual request from one of them.
There has always been something about Almodóvar's writing and/or directing that has resulted in his actresses making some of the best films of their careers, and this film, despite some general shortcomings that may be linked to the director's decision to venture into the English language and American culture, is no exception.
It will be interesting to see how Sony Classics, Almodóvar's historic US distributor, which is due to release this film before the end of the year on a date yet to be determined, will end up campaigning for the two women, who were – along with John Turturrowho plays a character who was the lover of both women, guests of honor at TIFF's annual press dinner on Saturday night. Swinton has a particularly juicy part, or — spoiler alert — as it turns out, partsso it's hard for me to see it Not leading lady. Moore gets at least as much exposure, but her character revolves around Swinton's, so I think you could argue she's either leading lady or supporting lady.
Elsewhere, you should look for the film in the Best Picture category: Almodóvar for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay; Eddie Graythe work for the best photography; and Alberto Iglesiasoriginal score (the most recent of Iglesias's four Oscar nominations came for the score to Almodóvar's 2021 film Parallel Mothers).
Night TroyIn the meantime, it has been adapted by Rachel Yoderthe 2021 book of the same name, and was directed by Heller, who previously premiered his 2018 film at TIFF Will you ever be able to forgive me? and movies of 2019 A beautiful day in the neighborhood (Both received Oscar nominations for acting, with the former also receiving a nomination for screenplay.) The film, which Heller says she worked on while suffering from postpartum depression after the birth of her second child, is essentially about how hard motherhood is and how resilient mothers are, as demonstrated by the experience of Amy Adams' a character who loves her young son but who, increasingly and rightly, resents the sacrifices she was forced to make to raise him.
Night Troy is finally reaching audiences after a long and troubled gestation, during which its story and tone seem to have taken a hit. (Its unusual title, in case you were wondering, refers to a metaphor that seems forced and then gets a bit lost in the film.) Adams, needless to say, is a tremendously gifted actress, and she does her best work in this film, which she also produced. But, in terms of awards season, I think this film, in general, will have a hard time finding traction. It’s just a bit all over the place.
As a result, Searchlight, which is scheduled to release it on December 6, will likely focus most of its awards efforts on the other two contenders it has lined up this season, A real pain AND A complete stranger.