Manuela is perhaps a middle-ground between the extremely normal and the extremely not-normal. She, herself, appears to fit society’s norms, but involves herself with all these people leading complicated lives. Thus, Manuela personifies the idea of social change and transition, which, as we see through her constant mobility throughout the film, may be ultimately unattainable.
Beyond being a loving tribute to mothers and women of all walks of life, Almodóvar’s All About My Motheris a statement on acting, imitation, and reality. …. In cementing this connection between women and acting Almodóvar makes the statement that all women are acting, and that all those who act as women are real. But, as Agrado references, women are writing their own parts as they go along. This is shown through the melodrama of the film, the incredible heights of emotion throughout.
Agrado throughout her performance explains to people what it means to be one’s self. Furthermore, her change in lifestyle lets people know that people have a back story to their decisions.
Throughout the film, I noticed the development of Agrado’s portrayal. In the beginning of the film, she is depicted as a stereotypical transgender woman, who is overly sexualized and flamboyant. her introduction to the film, when we see her being attacked, feeds into these stereotypes as well. I think these scenes portray her and the transgender community in a negative light. However, as the movie progresses, she becomes more humanized. She is shown as a caring, helpful friend. Her monologue, directed at the theatre audience, was given almost directly to the camera. I think this shows that she is speaking to the viewers of the film, forcing them to listen to her message, while boldly confronting their stereotypes and messages.
The film is steeped in postmodern intertextuality. There are references to various texts throughout the film, and much of the film’s plot is predicated on differing forms of media-based communication; the written word, the play, and, ultimately, the film. Almodóvar utilizes these varying forms of communication to grapple with a central question of how emotion is conveyed. …. Almodóvar suggests that emotional meaning is layered, complex, and out of the grasp of any singular medium; when viewed less as individual mediums of the text, the play, art, and the film, and more as a continuum of artistic expression, Almodóvar suggests that a stronger emotional meaning can be conveyed.
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