(Author's note: This is a repost of a review I originally wrote in 2000. It was long overdue for an update and expansion.)

Motherhood manifests itself in many ways, according to writer-director Pedro Almodovar in his 1999 Oscar-winning foreign language film, All About My Mother (released in Spain as Todo Sobre Mi Madre). In this movie, Cecelia Roth stars as Manuela Coleman Echevarria, a nurse in Madrid who specializes in the field of organ donation. She's a 38-year-old single mother who has raised her son, Esteban (Eloy Azorin), without telling him the truth about his father. Esteban loves to write and observe the world around him. He's also a big fan of drama. For his seventeenth birthday, Manuela treats Esteban to a night at the theater, where they see a production of A Streetcar Named Desire. After the show, he prevails upon his mother to wait outside the theater in the rain in an effort to get the autograph of Huma Rojo (Marisa Paredes), the actress who plays Blance DuBois. He sees Huma and runs to her car, but is unable to capture her attention before her driver leaves. Esteban runs after the car, but he is struck and killed by another driver who can't stop in time. Manuela donates his organs, which help to save at least one life. Manuela, though, gets too close to this effort, so she quits her work.

She then travels to Barcelona to tell the news to Esteban's father, who hustles in the city as a transvestite known as Lola (Toni Canto). Manuela, though, first finds Lola's old friend, Agrado (Antonia San Juan), who has not seen Lola, but agrees to help Manuela in the search. Agrado also helps Manuela find the job with the help of Sister Rosa (Penelope Cruz), a nun who works with people like Agrado. Rosa does find work for Manuela, but Manuela soon has to put her nursing skills to work to care for Rosa. Rosa has become pregnant and HIV-infected by Lola, and doctors order Rosa to rest in bed. A brief encounter between Manuela and Huma leads to legitimate employment for Agrado. Still, Lola is nowhere to be found, even as Manuela and Rosa prepare to bring a child into the world. Lola has taken a special sort of holiday, and explains his absence to Manuela. He also wants Manuela to explain her long departure.

All About My Mother is a different and offbeat look at motherhood. Real mothers might not understand or appreciate every aspect of this film, though, unless they're very open-minded. This picture seemed to me like a cross between Steel Magnolias and The Crying Game. Devout Catholics will likely take umbrage at the character of Sister Rosa, and will likely say that she takes her charity work to an inappropriate level. Yet, every one of Almodovar's stories represents an innate desire by parents to raise and protect their young ones, just like a typical mother.

Almodovar shows every stage of the mother-child relationship from beginning to end. While Manuela loses a son, she soon finds new duties caring for Rosa, as well as for Rosa and Lola's baby. Almodovar shows good times, like a nice evening at the theater, as well as the difficult times between families. While Huma gets acclaim for her work as Blanche, Huma's daughter, Nina Cruz (Candela Pena), who's also an actress (Nina plays Stella Kowalski alongside her mother in Streetcar), battles substance abuse. That puts a strain between mother and daughter, but Huma makes the effort to be there to love, support, and advise Nina. Manuela does what she can, but has to turn to Agrado to help that family deal with their issues with Agrado's unique sense of femininity. Whenever any situation arises, according to this screenplay, women use their maternal instincts to the benefit of all involved.

All About My Mother also shows the strength of women. All of the ladies respond with strong performances. Roth is the strong, silent type as Manuela, whose strength lies more in he example than in her words. Her nurse's training teaches her to put others ahead of herself, and provides that kind of devotion to all who need her. San Juan adds a delightful comic touch to her work as Agrado. When a performance of Streetcar has to be canceled, Agrado not only explains, but she entertains those who stay with anecdotes. Cruz also impresses as Sister Rosa, who puts everything ahead of her health and her vows. However, she pays a price for that way of ministering. Cruz, like Paredes, has been in several films by Almodovar.

All About My Mother is not a film that should be taken literally. I'm sure many wives would be grateful for any moment their husbands might make the effort to be Mr. Mom. It's a series of tales about the impact mothering has on children and others. In each of us lies the ability to affect the lives of others, for better or for worse. Bad things will happen along with the good, but we make the effort to make sure that some good in our lives touches others and lives beyond us. Manuela Echevarria not only does that in her life, she also does that in her career. She knows the mother within her, and wants that touch to extend beyond any biological ties. At work, she comes to realize that keeping a distance is necessary. When she goes home, she can continue that work in ways that have their own special rewards.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age