The Room Next Door Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.5

The Room Next Door Blu-ray Movie Review

The Room Next Door is an emotional drama and character study. Based on the novel "What Are You Going Through" by Sigrid Nunez, The Room Next Door is produced by Agustín Almodóvar (Talk to Her, All About My Mother). Executive produced by Joshua Blum, Esther Garcia, and Han West, The Room Next Door stars Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton.

Ingrid (Julianne Moore) and Martha (Tilda Swinton) were close friends while working at a magazine together in their youth. Ingrid became a novelist while Martha became a war reporter. The two reunite after spending many years apart. Now remembering their youth and recalling their memories together, Martha poses a difficult question to Ingrid. Martha is terminally ill and doesn’t want to wait around to die. Can Ingrid be her assistant with an assisted suicide?  

The performances are exceptional. The best reason to see the film is the exquisite performances. The leading performances by both Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton add so much to the film. Both of the actresses provide raw and emotional performances. The performances delve into the characters and work perfectly for the complicated story. John Turturro also impresses in a supporting role as their friend, Damian. 

Composed by Alberto Iglesias (Broken Embraces, Parallel Mothers), The Room Next Door features a beautiful score. The music adds so much elegance to the filmmaking. An evocative and rewarding original score and one that builds on the story and enhances the storytelling.

The cinematography by Eduard Grau (A Single Man, The Way Back) is exceptional. The first-rate cinematography adds so much to the feature-film. The Room Next Door is beautifully lensed. An outstanding artistic achievement.

Edited by Teresa Font (Parallel Mothers, Pain and Glory), The Room Next Door is well-paced. The editing is an essential part of the filmmaking. The editing style is perfectly in tune with the vision of its director.

The production designs by Inbal Weinberg (Suspiria, The Lost Daughter) are superb throughout. There is a lot to appreciate about the production design efforts. Weinberg is a talented designer and someone with a keen sense of style. The style reflects well throughout the film. The art direction by Gabriel Liste (Asteroid City) makes a solid impression, too. The Room Next Door is a beautiful looking film from every design standpoint.

The costume designs by Bina Daigeler (Volver, Mulan) are first-rate. The costumes feel perfectly designed to fit the personalities of the characters. A well-done effort across the board.

Written for the screen and directed by Pedro Almodóvar (Parallel Mothers, Volver), The Room Next Door is an elegant and thoughtful masterclass. The Room Next Door delves into difficult subject matter with precision. The performances are the forefront of the film and do not disappoint. The Room Next Door provides exquisite storytelling and filmmaking while discussing a difficult topic. A must-see from the masterful filmmaker Almodóvar.

The Room Next Door Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Warrner Bros, The Room Next Door is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.39:1 widescreen. The high-definition transfer showcases the cinematography. The visuals are wonderfully reproduced throughout the feature. The lush colors are well showcased. A sublime transfer of the beautifully lensed film.

The Room Next Door Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound. The lossless surround sound is evocative and immersive. The surrounds are actively engaged to enhance the film with an opened-up surround environment for the music score to make an elegant impression. A beautiful sounding surround sound mix.

The Room Next Door Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Footage from the Set (HD, 3:59)

Footage from the Scoring Stage (HD, 3:28)

The Room Next Door Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Room Next Door is an incredible achievement. The filmmaking by the legendary writer-director Pedro Almodóvar (Parallel Mothers) is exquisite. The performances by Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton astonishing.

The Blu-ray release provides exceptional video and lossless audio. There is a small selection of bonus features, too. Highly recommended.