Julianne Moore And Tilda Swinton Star In Emotional Drama The Room Next Door
Two acting powerhouses have teamed up for their latest movie: Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton star together in The Room Next Door, a new drama that’s just released on Netflix.
The meditative film from Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar (All About My Mother, Strange Way of Life) sees Moore and Swinton play two friends, who are both dealing with the fact that one of them has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and it follows them in their struggles to cope. Here’s everything you need to know:
What is The Room Next Door about?
Tilda Swinton (Asteroid City) stars in the film as Martha, who reconnects with a friend of hers, Ingrid (May December’s Julianne Moore), after several years. Ingrid once worked with Martha on the same magazine and befriended her before going on to become a successful author. She’s spurred to get back in contact when she learns that Martha has been diagnosed with a serious, terminal illness, and visits her in a hospital in New York where she’s being treated. While Ingrid has become a popular writer, Martha has meanwhile been busy as a war correspondent, and both are keen to rekindle their friendship.
They catch up with each other and discuss their lives before this difficult situation that they find themselves in, including the fact that they both dated the same man, Damien, played by John Turturro. But as the two talk, Martha reveals her intended plan: that she wants to spend a few more days living peacefully, and then end her life rather than suffering through her illness, and wants Ingrid to be next door when she does so. But while the present is important, and the limited time the two friends have left together, equally important is the past, as both women meditate on their journeys up until that point. Martha has also grown distant from her daughter Michelle, and Ingrid remains in touch with Damien. It’s the relationship between the two women that makes the film worth watching.
What else do we know, and when can I watch?
The Room Next Door first premiered to warm reviews last year at the Venice Film Festival, with the performances of Moore and Swinton and the direction of Almodóvar being particularly praised. It’s available to watch now on Netflix.
