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Pain and Glory movie poster

MOVIE DECISION GUIDE

Pain and Glory

2019 · 1h 54m · Drama

MOVIHERO READ

Patiently paced drama that takes its time. Best if you want family relationships to matter as much as the story.

85/100
WORTH IT

WHAT IT'S ABOUT

Salvador Mallo, a filmmaker in the twilight of his career, remembers his life: his mother, his lovers, the actors he worked with. The sixties in a small village in Valencia, the eighties in Madrid, the present, when he feels an immeasurable emptiness, facing his mortality, the incapability of continuing filming, the impossibility of separating creation from his own life. The need of narrating his past can be his salvation.

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85/100
WORTH IT
WORTH ITSalvador Mallo, a filmmaker in the twilight of his career, remembers his life: his mother, his lovers, the actors he worked with. The sixties in a small village in Val…

MAKE THE CALL

Does this belong in your night?

A decision, not a review. Choose the kind of night you want and keep your queue honest.

BEFORE YOU PRESS PLAY

Is Pain and Glory right for tonight?

Pacing, attention and emotional impact are estimates from the current MoviHero Watch Profile, not verified scene-by-scene reviews.

How much time should I set aside?

Pain and Glory runs 1h 54m. Allow extra time for breaks.

Is it slow or fast?

The current MoviHero pacing estimate is 4/10: a more patient pace.

Is it a good choice when I am tired?

The attention estimate is 5/10. Expect to follow the story rather than use it as background viewing.

How emotionally intense is it?

The emotional-impact estimate is 7/10, suggesting a moderate emotional load. This does not tell you whether the ending is happy or sad.

CHANGE ONE THING

Like this, but...

These share a listed genre with Pain and Glory. Profile differences are estimates, not a guarantee of the same story or mood.

But shorterMuurbloem2026 · 9m

105 minutes shorter (9m). Shared genre: drama.

WHY THIS MIGHT BE FOR YOU

01The setup points to a story driven by family relationships and their consequences
02A manageable 114-minute runtime and a more measured watch than a pure momentum movie define the practical movie-night fit
03Its 7.4/10 TMDB audience score across 1,955 votes gives the recommendation a meaningful crowd signal

QUICK DECISION GUIDE

Know the watch before you press play.

A fast read on the experience, then the reasons this movie may or may not fit your night.

01Pacing4/10
02Emotional Impact7/10
03Mind-Bending2/10
04Scary1/10
05Violence3/10
06Rewatchability5/10

PERFECT IF

01you want the relationships inside a family to matter as much as the plot
02you are in the mood for a more measured watch than a pure momentum movie
03you are open to a movie with real emotional weight

THINK TWICE IF

01family conflict is not the kind of emotional material you want tonight
02you are impatient with measured or slow-building movies
03you are not looking for a relationship-centered movie

MOVIHERO AUDIENCE VERDICT

Was it worth your time?

Real votes from MoviHero viewers. No imported ratings.

MOVIHERO EDITORIAL

Should you watch Pain and Glory?

Pain and Glory belongs in your night if you want the relationships inside a family to matter as much as the plot. It is a more measured watch than a pure momentum movie, with a manageable 114-minute runtime, and the Watch Profile puts attention at 5/10 and emotional impact at 7/10. The overall profile gives it a solid case when that experience matches your mood.

WATCH NOW

Watch Pain and Glory Online

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Availability by JustWatch.

WHAT WATCHING IT FEELS LIKE

Watch Profile

Seven signals for the experience itself — from the pace of the night to how much attention it asks from you.

Pacing4/10
Emotional Impact7/10
Mind-Bending2/10
Scary1/10
Violence3/10
Rewatchability5/10
Attention Required5/10
Pain and Glory still

WATCH A PREVIEW

Trailer

A CLOSER LOOK

Stay with the image.

Pain and Glory still 1Pain and Glory still 2Pain and Glory still 3Pain and Glory still 4Pain and Glory still 5

CAST & CREW

The people who make it land.

Pedro Almodóvar portrait
Pedro AlmodóvarDirector
Antonio Banderas portrait
Antonio BanderasSalvador Mallo
Asier Etxeandia portrait
Asier EtxeandiaAlberto Crespo
Leonardo Sbaraglia portrait
Leonardo SbaragliaFederico Delgado
Nora Navas portrait
Nora NavasMercedes
Julieta Serrano portrait
Julieta SerranoOld Jacinta
Penélope Cruz portrait
Penélope CruzJacinta
César Vicente portrait
César VicenteEduardo
Asier Flores portrait
Asier FloresYoung Salvador

CHARACTERS IN THIS MOVIE

Follow the character.

Reviewed MoviHero character guides connected to this movie.

otherAlberto CrespoAlberto Crespo appears in Pain and Glory (2019), portrayed by Asier Etxeandia. This page focuses on that specific screen performance and the movie around it.Open character guide otherFederico DelgadoFederico Delgado appears in Pain and Glory (2019), portrayed by Leonardo Sbaraglia. This page focuses on that specific screen performance and the movie around it.Open character guide otherSalvador MalloSalvador Mallo appears in Pain and Glory (2019), portrayed by Antonio Banderas. This page focuses on that specific screen performance and the movie around it.Open character guide