Almodovar is a master story writer--he knows exactly what to tell the viewer and when to tell it. He understands the volatile nature of the film medium, preferring to illustrate the motives of his characters rather than simply state them. As in "Todo Sobre mi Madre" and "Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios," Almodovar uses subtler methods than others to draw attention to important details. The movie holds together like an artfully composed opus, returning to hints given earlier on and embellishing on them. In this way Almodovar will definitely mess with your mind; by the end of the movie your judgments on the characters will make a total about-face.<br /><br />However, the first time viewer should be warned not to take the circumstances too seriously. Almodovar's plots thrive on unlikely circumstances and chance meetings of characters. It is something more akin to the magical realism in literature, not to be taken literally.