Parallel Mothers is a really engaging watch with plenty of unforeseen story turns that seem incredibly random at first, but ultimately come together in a very intentional way. Penélope Cruz gives a powerful and beautifully relatable performance as a woman navigating some very messy life choices with wisdom and empathy. She’s truly something to watch as she connects the trauma of her past to her present, and makes conscious choices to stop the cycles of circumstantial and institutional pain. It’s profound and heroic in ways you don’t see coming.