From here Almodovar spirals his story out in various directions with flashbacks and anecdotes that fill in the characters' inner lives, giving us insight into their actions and letting them fit together in new configurations. It's a beautiful, clever film, very well-played by the cast, but unexpectedly subdued in its style. While the storyline still contains some real shocks, the film itself is mature and almost stately, lingering on the tenderness between the characters, the repeated image of a tear-stained cheek. It feels strangely slight for Almodovar, but there's a richness that draws us in. This is a film about a developing friendship between two damaged men that catches both of them off guard by its resilience. Without ever being obvious, Almodovar gives us glimpses into the characters, even if they're in a coma! There are lots of odd sequences that add texture (abstract ballet sequences, an extended silent movie scene that goes very surreal), and so much going on beneath the surface that you can hardly take it all in.