The Room Next Door (2024): Cast, Plot, Reviews & Streaming

Pedro Almodóvar’s first English-language feature, The Room Next Door, pairs Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton in a story of friendship and mortality that earned the Golden Lion at the 2024 Venice Film Festival. Here’s everything you need to know about the film, from its cast and plot to where you can watch it right now.

Director: Pedro Almodóvar ·
Stars: Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton ·
Release Year: 2024 ·
Language: English ·
Genre: Drama

Seven key facts, one pattern: each confirms that The Room Next Door arrives with heavyweight credentials.

Where can I watch The Room Next Door?

Is The Room Next Door on Netflix?

No—The Room Next Door is not currently available on Netflix in any major market. In the United States, the film streams exclusively on Max since January 10, 2025 (Max Official Site). For viewers outside the US, the film is available for digital rental or purchase on Prime Video and other platforms worldwide (Amazon Prime Video).

Is The Room Next Door available on Blu-ray or DVD?

Yes, a Blu-ray release is available in select regions. Retailers such as Golden Discs carry the disc version, though regional availability varies. No US Blu-ray date has been announced by Sony Pictures Classics at this time.

The implication: For US cord-cutters, Max is the only streaming home; everyone else will need to rent or buy digitally.

Who is in the cast of The Room Next Door?

Who directed The Room Next Door?

Pedro Almodóvar—his 24th feature film overall (Wikipedia) and his first feature-length film in English (Rotten Tomatoes).

Who are the supporting actors?

• Julianne Moore as Martha, a war photographer (IMDb)
• Tilda Swinton as Ingrid, a novelist
• John Turturro in a supporting role
• Frances Cuka (in her final role) and others

What this means: The two leads, Moore and Swinton, bring decades of dramatic heft—a pairing that immediately signals a performance-driven film.

What is the plot of The Room Next Door?

The story follows Martha (Moore), a war photographer diagnosed with terminal cancer, and Ingrid (Swinton), a novelist and former close friend. The two reconnect under difficult circumstances and confront the ethical dilemmas of assisted dying, friendship, and mortality. The film is adapted from Lucia Berlin’s short story “By the Sea” (Variety, leading entertainment trade publication).

Almodóvar films primarily in English but includes some Spanish dialogue (Hollywood Reporter).

The pattern: This is Almodóvar’s most intimate canvas yet—a two-hander that strips away his usual melodrama for something more meditative.

When was The Room Next Door released?

What is the release date?

• World premiere at the 81st Venice Film Festival: August 28, 2024 (Venice Film Festival Official Site)
• North American premiere at TIFF: September 8, 2024 (TIFF Official Site)
• US limited theatrical release: October 18, 2024 (Sony Pictures Classics)
• Spanish theatrical release: October 25, 2024 (FilmAffinity)

Why this matters: The staggered festival-to-theatrical rollout gave the film immediate prestige momentum, capped by its Golden Lion win.

The implication: The film’s release pattern favored prestige over broad availability.

What are the reviews for The Room Next Door?

What did critics say?

Critical reception has been overwhelmingly positive. The Guardian called the film “extravagant and engrossing” (The Guardian). On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 92% Certified Fresh rating from over 120 reviews (Rotten Tomatoes).

The Venice Film Festival awarded it the Golden Lion for Best Film and gave Julianne Moore the Volpi Cup for Best Actress (Venice Film Festival Official Site).

The trade-off: While critics praise the performances and direction, some viewers note the film’s slow pacing may not suit everyone—a quiet drama that demands patience.

The reality: Critical acclaim doesn’t always translate to mass audience appeal, especially for a quiet, meditative drama.

For audiences in the US and beyond who have access to Max or digital rental platforms, The Room Next Door offers a rare, unflinching look at mortality delivered by two of our finest actors. Moore and Swinton’s performances demand full attention—give it, or let the quiet moments pass you by.