The Room Next Door (2024)
Film · Drama
Stream itif you appreciate a literate, dignified exploration of friendship and mortality led by two master performers.
A quiet and intellectual meditation on mortality that values conversation over melodrama. It is elegant and poised, suited for viewers who appreciate high-caliber acting and a slow, contemplative pace.
What it is about
Ingrid and Martha were close friends in their youth, when they worked together at the same magazine. Ingrid went on to become an autofiction novelist while Martha became a war reporter, and they were separated by the circumstances of life. After years of being out of touch, they meet again in an extreme but strangely sweet situation.
Trailer
What The Room Next Door is like, and who it is for
What it is like to watch
The film unfolds with a stately, deliberate rhythm, favouring the textured nuance of dialogue over sudden narrative shifts. It possesses the vibrant, saturated visual palette characteristic of Almodóvar, yet the intensity is internalised, found in the shared glances and the weight of words spoken between two old friends. There is a sense of serene composure that permeates the atmosphere, even as it addresses heavy, existential themes.
Who it is for, and who should skip it
This is essential viewing for those who enjoy 'actorly' cinema where the performance is the primary event. Fans of Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore will find their chemistry captivating. However, those seeking a traditional plot-driven drama or high emotional histrionics should skip it; the film is intensely verbal and static. The primary caveat is that the dialogue occasionally feels overly formal, bordering on the theatrical rather than the naturalistic.
The right evening for it
It suits a quiet, introspective evening, perhaps with a glass of wine, when you are prepared to sit with difficult questions about the end of life. It is best watched when you can give its gentle pace your undivided attention.
Written by our AI from the facts on this page. It has opinions; it has not watched it.
Teaser
Teaser · Teaser Trailer
How The Room Next Door leaves you
One line on the mood it ends on, with no plot. Some people count that as a spoiler, so it stays hidden until you ask.
Leaves you with a sense of profound melancholy tempered by a strange, peaceful clarity. It is a thoughtful reflection on dignity that lingers quietly in the mind without feeling burdensome.
How The Room Next Door ends
Spoilers. The whole ending, in a few lines. Nothing shows until you ask and then confirm.
The film ends with Ingrid discovering Martha dead on a lounge chair outside their rented house, with her bedroom door closed as planned. Martha leaves a note expressing her gratitude and requesting that Ingrid contact her estranged daughter, Michelle. Following a stressful interrogation by a religious fundamentalist police officer who questions her involvement in the suicide, Ingrid contacts Damian and a lawyer for protection.
The story concludes with Ingrid meeting Michelle at the Woodstock house where Martha died. The two women lie together on the lounge chairs outside as it snows. This final scene resolves Martha's final request for Ingrid to contact her daughter, leaving the two women together in the place where Martha spent her last moments.
Summarised by our AI from the plot section of the Wikipedia article, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. This summary is shared under the same licence.
Stills
Images from TMDB.
If you like this, try
45 Years (2015)
the same restrained, domestic exploration of long-term bonds and mortality
Clouds of Sils Maria (2014)
the same intellectual intimacy between two women in a secluded setting
Amour (2012)
the same unflinching yet tender focus on the practicalities of a final departure
Suggested by our AI for what they share with this one. Linked titles have a page here; the rest are worth a search on the browse page.
More clips
Clip · “I Love Fruit” (Scene)
Clip · “Like to Stay” (Scene)
Clip · “Still Flirting With Me” (Scene)
The Room Next Door soundtrack
Music by Alberto Iglesias
Awards
The Room Next Door won the Golden Lion at Venice.
Venice Film Festival
- Won: Golden Lion · 2024
2 other awards and nominationsShow
- Nominated: European Film Award for Best Film · 2024
- Nominated: European Film Award for Best Actress · Tilda Swinton · 2024
From Wikidata, which can miss some.
Questions people ask
- Is The Room Next Door an authentic film?
- Yes. On Watchlist Boosted it is tagged Authentic. A quiet and intellectual meditation on mortality that values conversation over melodrama. It is elegant and poised, suited for viewers who appreciate high-caliber acting and a slow, contemplative pace.
- How long is The Room Next Door?
- The Room Next Door runs 106 min and was released in 2024.
- Where can I watch The Room Next Door in the UK?
- In the UK, The Room Next Door is included with Now TV, HBO Max.
- What awards did The Room Next Door win?
- The Room Next Door won the Golden Lion at Venice.
- Who composed the music for The Room Next Door?
- The music for The Room Next Door is by Alberto Iglesias.
- Is The Room Next Door worth watching?
- Stream it: if you appreciate a literate, dignified exploration of friendship and mortality led by two master performers. IMDb users rate it 6.8 out of 10 from 25,277 votes, Rotten Tomatoes gives it 80%, Metacritic 70 and TMDB users 6.7.
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