Penélope Cruz is simply mesmerising in Pedro Almodóvar's celebration of motherhood, La Mancha and how the dead hold sway over the living. In a role inspired by Italian neorealist housewives Sophia Loren and Anna Magnani, Raimunda (Cruz) goes to drastic lengths to protect her teenage daughter after a drunken incident ends in tragedy. Meanwhile, Raimunda's timid sister Sole (Lola Dueñas) catches sight of their "dead" mother (Carmen Maura) at a relative's house. It's devoid of the director's usual flashiness and vibrant colour palette - there's not a single drag queen in sight - but his signature style remains intact during the slow burn towards a subdued yet touching finale, in which family skeletons are unearthed. Flawlessly cast, this beguiling mix of farce, melodrama and emotional crescendos stands comparison with Almodóvar's best work.

A resourcefull working-class woman living in Madrid gets her hands dirty in family secrets with the help of a teenage daughter and hairdresser sister.