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Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) movie poster

Timeline

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1988 · 90 min · Spanish
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Directed by
Pedro Almodóvar
Starring
Antonio Banderas, Julieta Serrano, Rossy de Palma, Carmen Maura

After her lover abruptly leaves her, Pepa Marcos finds her life thrown into disarray. Seeking answers, she’s drawn into a series of increasingly bizarre events and encounters a collection of unusual people. Among them is Ivan’s son and a group holding her best friend captive. As Pepa struggles to understand what’s happening, she finds herself in the middle of a chaotic and surreal situation.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle
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15 events in order · contains spoilers

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Recording Session for *Johnny Guitar*

    Pepa and Iván, both talented voice actors, contribute their voices to the classic film *Johnny Guitar*, which features the iconic Joan Crawford. This recording session symbolizes the merging of their professional lives amidst personal turmoil.

  2. Iván Leaves Pepa

    Pepa's stability shatters when Iván unexpectedly leaves her, plummeting her into despair. His sudden departure not only disrupts her emotional state but also affects her professional commitments.

  3. Missed Recording Session

    Due to her emotional turmoil, Pepa misses a crucial recording session with Iván. This further adds to her sense of chaos and disconnect from her work and the world around her.

  4. Frantic Messages from Candela

    Returning home, Pepa is bombarded with frantic messages from her friend Candela. Feeling overwhelmed, she vents her frustration by violently disconnecting her phone, symbolizing her need to escape the turmoil.

  5. Preparing Drugged Gazpacho

    In a desperate bid to win Iván back, Pepa prepares gazpacho laced with sleeping pills. This act highlights her longing and the lengths she is willing to go to salvage their relationship.

  6. Visit from Carlos and Marisa

    Pepa is interrupted by Carlos and his fiancée Marisa, who are there to inspect her penthouse. This encounter complicates her situation further, as she discovers that Carlos is Iván's son from a prior marriage.

  7. Marisa Falls Asleep

    Marisa unwittingly consumes the drugged gazpacho and falls asleep for hours. This unexpected turn of events adds to the chaos in Pepa's already tumultuous day.

  8. Candela's Suicide Attempt

    Feeling neglected, Candela makes a distressing suicide attempt but is rescued just in time. Her chaotic life intertwines with Pepa's as she reveals her own struggles involving a dangerous man.

  9. Seeking Legal Advice

    Pepa seeks help from Paulina, Iván's divorce lawyer. Their meeting takes a strange turn as Paulina's cryptic behavior suggests her deeper connection to Iván, leaving Pepa more confused.

  10. Carlos Calls the Police

    Amidst all the chaos, Carlos attempts to call the police after discovering a hijacking plot. Balancing this urgent situation with a sleeping Marisa and distressed Candela proves to be overwhelming.

  11. Iván's Surprising Arrival

    Iván's arrival at Pepa's home takes her by surprise, leading to an emotional outburst where she tosses out his belongings in frustration. This act is a manifestation of her heartbreak and disappointment.

  12. Confrontation with Lucía

    Lucía confronts Pepa about Iván, heightening the emotional tension. This encounter underscores the complexities of love, betrayal, and rivalry as they navigate their interwoven lives.

  13. Climactic Airport Scene

    In a dramatic climax at the airport, Lucía aims a gun at Iván and Paulina, signaling an impending threat. Pepa, recognizing the perilous situation, musters her courage and decides to take action.

    Where
    Airport
  14. Pepa Chooses to Leave Iván

    After the chaos subsides, Pepa makes the pivotal decision to leave Iván behind. This marks a significant turning point in her life as she chooses to confront her reality rather than hold onto the past.

  15. Pepa's Life-Altering Secret

    In a moment of clarity, Pepa reveals her pregnancy to Marisa. This revelation adds a new dimension to her tumultuous life, signifying hope and the prospect of new beginnings amidst the chaos.

Last updated: November 16, 2024 at 17:45

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Timeline questions answered

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Pepa put sleeping pills in the gazpacho?

Pepa prepares gazpacho laced with sleeping pills as a desperate attempt to get Iván's attention. When she learned he was coming over to pick up his belongings, she hoped that by making him consume the drugged dish, she could slow him down and have time to convince him to stay. It's a manifestation of her emotional desperation and unwillingness to accept the breakup.

  • gazpacho
  • sleeping pills
  • ivan
  • breakup
  • desperation
Q2

Who is Carlos and why is he important to Pepa?

Carlos is Iván's son from his previous marriage to Lucía. He visits Pepa's penthouse with his fiancée Marisa to inspect it as part of their apartment hunt. This revelation shocks Pepa because it connects her directly to Iván's past family life and adds another layer of complexity to the tangled relationships.

  • carlos
  • ivan
  • son
  • lucia
  • marisa
Q3

Why does Marisa suddenly fall asleep?

Marisa falls asleep because she unknowingly consumes the gazpacho that Pepa had laced with sleeping pills. Pepa had prepared the drugged dish intending for Iván to eat it, but when Marisa arrives and tastes the gazpacho, she consumes enough of the sedatives to sleep for several hours.

  • marisa
  • gazpacho
  • sleeping pills
  • asleep
Q4

What is Candela's involvement with the terrorist cell?

Candela reveals she has become unintentionally involved with a Shiite man who is part of a terrorist cell planning to hijack a flight that evening. She explains her chaotic situation to Pepa during her suicide attempt, disclosing that she accidentally got mixed up with someone dangerous without realizing it.

  • candela
  • terrorist
  • shiite
  • hijacking
  • flight
Q5

Why does Lucía go to the airport with a gun?

Lucía goes to the airport intending to stop Iván and Paulina from escaping together. She arrives with a gun, aiming to sabotage their planned escape. Lucía is Iván's ex-wife and Carlos's mother, and she discovered that Iván was planning to leave with Paulina, his divorce lawyer, which motivated her desperate action.

  • lucia
  • airport
  • gun
  • ivan
  • paulina
  • escape
Q6

Why does Pepa decide to leave Iván at the airport?

After the chaos at the airport involving Lucía's gun and the threat to everyone's safety, Pepa makes the pivotal decision to leave Iván behind and return home alone. This choice represents her final breaking point with the toxic cycle of their relationship. She chooses self-preservation over holding onto a man who has repeatedly hurt her, marking a significant turning point in her character arc.

  • pepa
  • ivan
  • leave
  • airport
  • decision
  • self-preservation
Q7

Why does Pepa tell Marisa she's pregnant at the end?

Pepa reveals her pregnancy to Marisa as a moment of genuine connection after all the chaos. This revelation adds a new dimension to her situation, she is not just dealing with a breakup but also facing an uncertain future as a single mother. Sharing this secret with Marisa, who she barely knows, symbolizes her need for human connection and marks a hopeful new beginning amid the turmoil.

  • pepa
  • pregnancy
  • marisa
  • secret
  • reveal
Q8

What is Paulina's relationship to Iván?

Paulina is the lawyer handling Iván's divorce from Lucía. However, during Pepa's visit, Paulina exhibits cryptic behavior and hints at a deeper connection to Iván. The film reveals that Paulina and Iván are planning to escape together, which is why Lucía confronts them at the airport with a gun.

  • paulina
  • lawyer
  • ivan
  • divorce
  • relationship
Q9

Why does Candela try to commit suicide?

Candela attempts suicide because she feels ignored and overwhelmed by her chaotic life. After repeatedly trying to reach Pepa for help with her dangerous situation involving the terrorist, Candela feels abandoned and desperate. Pepa had been too consumed by her own drama with Iván to pay attention to Candela's distress calls.

  • candela
  • suicide
  • attempt
  • despair
  • ignored
Q10

Why does Pepa miss her important recording session?

Pepa misses her recording session because she's emotionally devastated after Iván abruptly leaves her. Her emotional turmoil causes her to oversleep and arrive late to work, which disrupts the dubbing session for Johnny Guitar that she was supposed to do with Iván.

  • pepa
  • recording
  • session
  • johnny guitar
  • ivan
  • missed
Q11

Why does Pepa throw Iván's belongings off the terrace?

Pepa throws Iván's belongings off her terrace when he unexpectedly arrives. This dramatic act is a manifestation of her heartbreak, frustration, and anger after being left. She's trying to physically remove him from her life, but her emotional turmoil is evident, she can't even give away his things without a confrontation.

  • pepa
  • ivan
  • belongings
  • terrace
  • throw
Q12

Why does Pepa go to Paulina for legal advice?

Pepa seeks out Paulina, Iván's divorce lawyer, because she wants to understand what's happening in her own relationship. She hopes Paulina can provide insight into Iván's actions and decisions. However, Paulina's strange behavior and cryptic hints only confuse Pepa further, leaving her more uncertain about the situation.

  • pepa
  • paulina
  • lawyer
  • advice
  • ivan

Movie threads

More Movies Like Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Farce of Overlapping Lives like in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Stories where a single event triggers a chaotic cascade of absurd encounters. If you enjoyed the chaotic, interconnected storytelling of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, this section highlights movies with similar farcical plots. Discover other stories where misunderstandings and chance encounters create a comedic domino effect, drawing together a cast of quirky characters in a single, frantic narrative.

  • farcical
  • chaotic
  • absurd
  • interconnected
  • frantic
  • comedic timing
  • Tone: whimsical, absurd
  • Pacing: fast, chaotic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread typically kick off with a single catalyst—a breakup, a lie, a mistaken identity—that sets off a chain reaction. Characters from seemingly separate lives collide in unexpected ways, often confined to a short timeframe or a specific location. The plot unfolds through a series of near-misses, coincidences, and escalating absurdities, creating a structure built on impeccable timing and comedic tension.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here based on their shared commitment to a specific type of comedic structure: the farce. They share a fast pace, a whimsical or satirical tone, and a focus on the chaos that arises from miscommunication and interconnected destinies, resulting in a viewing experience that is both frantic and clever.

Movies with Whimsical Despair like Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Films that find dark humor and surreal beauty in the midst of emotional turmoil. For viewers who loved the unique blend of heartbreak and surreal comedy in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, this collection features films with a similar tone. Explore stories where characters navigate profound personal crises with a sense of absurdity and dark whimsy, leading to bittersweet but insightful conclusions.

  • whimsical
  • melancholic
  • bittersweet
  • surreal
  • absurd
  • anxious
  • Tone: bittersweet, whimsical, melancholic
  • Pacing: fast, engaging
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative journey typically follows a protagonist undergoing a significant emotional collapse or life-altering event. Instead of a purely tragic or dramatic treatment, the story embraces surreal elements, eccentric supporting characters, and comedic situations to explore the protagonist's inner world. The resolution is often bittersweet, offering a sense of clarity or self-preservation rather than simple happiness, acknowledging the pain while celebrating the absurdity of life.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their unique tonal balance. They successfully mix medium emotional weight with a whimsical or absurd presentation, creating an experience that is thoughtful and poignant without being overly heavy. The pairing of genuine sadness with a playful, often fast-paced execution is the defining characteristic.

Every angle

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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