Talk to Her: Narrative Devices and Themes in Almodóvar

Narrative Devices in Habla con Ella

In Habla con Ella, Pedro Almodóvar uses non-linear chronology to create a more character-driven film rather than one preoccupied with plot. The events of the story unfold not according to chronological time, or in the sequence in which they occurred. Instead, they unfold through the eyes of each character, allowing the filmmaker to provide an impressionistic — even semi-abstract — view. The audience gains deep insight into how each character frames every event, so that the same moment can be seen from multiple angles and perspectives. In fact, the events are only meaningful to the film insofar as they are meaningful to each character. This non-linear plot order allows the story to maintain its integrity precisely because it does not depend on linear time.

Using a non-linear chronology in Habla con Ella entails switching back and forth between different time periods. This technique allows the filmmaker to show how little time and order actually mean for human beings, who are continually haunted by the past or propelled by dreams of the future. One of the methods Almodóvar uses to prevent the audience from becoming confused is by creating anchors and employing repetition — a storytelling technique that mirrors the way human consciousness actually works. For example, Marco first meets Alicia at the start of the film, and Almodóvar returns us to that moment later. The same dance performance also repeats. Audiences recognize this as the way the brain actually works; very few people do not flit between memories of the past and hopes for the future.

Almodóvar also uses unique narrative devices, permitting insight into each character's point of view — particularly those of Marco and Benigno. The audience learns early on that Marco and Benigno are united through their love of theater, and theater serves as a metaphor for the stage of life itself. The play-within-a-play trope is particularly effective here, almost functioning as a frame narrative that encloses and comments on the main story.

Gender Roles and Stereotypes

Gender roles and stereotypes are refreshingly nuanced in Habla con Ella. From the very beginning, it is clear that Almodóvar has transcended gender binaries and rigid stereotypes: Marco is passionate and emotional, and he allows himself to cry openly. Benigno, likewise, has no qualms about telling Alicia's father that he is gay — an ironic admission, given that Benigno is actually in love with Alicia. Almodóvar then develops the character of a female matador, something so rare as to be practically an oxymoron. The role of matador carries intense associations with masculine hegemony and patriarchal violence, making its reassignment to a woman a pointed act of subversion. Furthermore, both Marco and Benigno are portrayed as deeply devoted to the women they love, subverting common stereotypes about male emotional commitment in relationships.