“The Room Next Door” follows an ill woman preparing for death

In "The Room Next Door," his debut English language film, iconic Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar faces death head on. It's not that his earlier films have avoided the subject, but this time the narrative focuses on it.  Martha, with terminal cancer, is ready to end her life and invites long-time friend, former colleague Ingrid to share her last days.

Surprisingly, "The Room Next Door" is much more about living than dying; specifically, what makes each desirable, the freedom of life and embracing its end. The film begins at a book signing by noteworthy author Ingrid (Julianne Moore) who learns Martha (Tilda Swinton) has limited time left. Reaching out to her in friendship, a compassionate, admirable act, Ingrid agrees to Martha's request to spend a last weekend with her in an upstate, relatively secluded home, away from medical care and ineffective therapies. Martha will, at some point, take the euthanasia pill while Ingrid occupies, as the title states, the room next door.

Augmenting their connection, both were involved with a now joyless Damian (John Turturro) before Martha became a war correspondent, in that profession having several times faced death. Flashbacks and scenes with Damian and Martha's estranged daughter provide the two women's formative experiences, but what matters most is Martha's decision, her euthanasia. She says, "I think I deserve a good death." And yet, Ingrid's dependability and devotion as a witness, despite her fear and reservations, shine the brightest, not looking away.

Adapting Sigrid Nunez's 2020 novel "What Are You Going Through," screenwriter Almodóvar directly and sensitively embraces the issue through poetic dialogue, confronting the high stakes of ending one's life. Heightening the poignant, aesthetic appeal, Martha quietly, movingly quotes James Joyce's concluding lines for his haunting 1914 story, "The Dead." "The snow is falling, falling faintly through the universe, and faintly falling on all the living and the dead." Relatively isolated, amidst nature, snow does fall, a peaceful presence that mirrors Martha's acceptance.

Almodóvar's always dazzling art direction energizes events with characteristic bright colors extending even to Martha's and Ingrid's lipstick bright, though Swinton's Martha overall remains appropriately pale. Almodóvar's customary composer Alberto Iglesias complements the mood with light cello and string music, a tango of sorts, one beautifully performed by the perfect pairing of Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton. This philosophically and emotionally rich film summons feelings and thoughts that occur late at night or under trying circumstances; Why? For what? To what end? It beautifully asks and answers those questions and more. "The Room Next Door" won the top prize, the Golden Lion, at this year's Venice Film Festival and is available now.