Sony Pictures Classics recently bought “The Human Voice,” a flashy and uninvolving short film directed by the usually great Pedro Almodóvar and starring Tilda Swinton.
This was one of the more disappointing works of my fall festival season. I had great hopes for this 30-minute film, but, ultimately, the material rang too hollow and familiar for me to fully embrace its in-your-face nature.
The film has Swinton playing a woman, depressed by the end of her relationship, and meandering along through a gamut of emotions while isolated in her bourgie apartment, which also happens to be a stage set. How meta. Throughout, she speaks to her ex-lover on the other end of the line, rambling on to no end.
The film is essentially one long over-directed monologue, but played as metaphysical theater, there isn’t really much room here for Almodovar to be creative or original, just very stagey. You can also tell this was shot during quarantine as it plays like a film trying to defy obstacles throughout its minimalist proceedings. Of course, people are going to love this no matter what because, just on-paper, this sounds like a deliciously rich and easy-to-digest proposition.
On a more positive note, the costume and set design here is lovely — is it ever anything less than that when it comes to Almodovar? There are beautiful color schemes all over the apartment. It’s very rich design for such a small project.
“The Human Voice” had its world premiere back in September at the Venice Film Festival. Since then, the film has played the New York Film Festival and will be at the BFI London Film Festival later this month.
Sony Pictures Classics will release it online this coming Friday.