Talk to Her 2002

The narrative unfolds through a series of flashbacks, intricately detailing two distinct relationships that eventually become interconnected. At a dance recital, Benigno Martín and Marco Zuluaga initially cross paths as mere strangers; however, Benigno’s keen observation of Marco in tears marks the beginning of their intertwined stories.

Marco, a journalist and travel writer, finds himself captivated by a television interview featuring the renowned female matador Lydia González. Hoping to pen a compelling article about her, he follows the advice of his editor and approaches her in a bar. Lydia, having recently broken up with her boyfriend, El Niño de Rivera, another matador whose relationship has become tabloid fodder, appears agitated when Marco admits to his lack of knowledge about bullfighting. Angered, she abruptly exits his vehicle. Yet moments later, Marco hears a piercing scream from her home and halts to investigate. Lydia begs him to help with a snake in her house, and after he successfully eliminates the creature, she rushes back into his car, visibly relieved. This shared experience ignites a bond that blossoms into friendship and, eventually, romance.

At a wedding in Toledo, Marco is taken aback to find Lydia present, despite her earlier reluctance to attend. The wedding, in fact, is that of Marco’s former fiancée, whose phobia of snakes mirrors Lydia’s. Marco, still reeling from the emotional scars of his past love, learns that Lydia has something significant to share but defers the discussion until after the bullfight that afternoon. Tragically, during the event, Lydia suffers a serious injury and falls into a coma, leaving Marco devastated. He vows to remain by her side at the hospital while forming an unexpected friendship with Benigno, who recognized Marco from the dance recital.

Benigno serves as the personal nurse for Alicia Roncero, a talented dance student also in a coma. His obsession with Alicia predates her condition, having admired her from afar while caring for his controlling mother. After his mother’s passing, Benigno finally gathers the courage to speak to Alicia. However, fate intervenes when she is struck by a car, resulting in her coma. Despite his shaky profession, Benigno’s unwavering dedication to Alicia leads her father to hire him permanently as her caregiver.

Encouraging Marco to express his feelings to Lydia, Benigno insists that women can sense men’s troubles even in their comatose state. When Marco discovers that Lydia was considering reconciling with Niño de Rivera, he faces the reality of being alone once more. His search for comfort leads him to Alicia’s room, where he unwittingly reveals his inner turmoil, despite initially dismissing Benigno’s beliefs. One fateful day, as the two friends leave the hospital, Benigno shares his dreams of marrying Alicia, which shocks Marco, who sees Alicia as essentially devoid of life.

A routine examination highlights discrepancies regarding Alicia’s health status, propelling an investigation that names Benigno as the primary suspect when it is discovered that she is pregnant. After a temporary departure to write about his travels in Jordan, Marco learns of Lydia’s demise, which stirs his emotions. He tries to re-establish contact with Benigno, only to find that Benigno has been imprisoned for Alicia’s assault.

Upon returning, Marco visits Benigno, who requests support in finding a new lawyer to uncover the truth behind Alicia’s case. Staying in Benigno’s apartment, Marco discovers that Alicia has awakened and undergone a tumultuous journey post-birth, though tragically, her child was stillborn. When Benigno’s lawyer advises against revealing Alicia’s recovery, Marco adheres to this counsel. Devastated by the weight of his actions, Benigno resorts to an overdose in a desperate attempt to be with Alicia.

Simultaneously, Alicia embarks on her rehabilitation, striving to regain her ability to dance and walk. The film elegantly concludes back where it began, within the same theatre, as Marco and Alicia serendipitously encounter one another, embodying the intertwined fates of their respective journeys.