Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal as Jake and Silva
THE WESTERN — STARK, dusty, often emotionally constipated — doesn’t seem an obvious match for Pedro Almodóvar, one of cinema’s most colourful, passionate directors. Which is exactly what makes Strange Way Of Life so interesting. The English-language short sees two ex-lovers, gunslinger Silva (Pedro Pascal) and sheriff Jake (Ethan Hawke), reunite after 25 years. Silva wants to make a life together, but Jake insists it’s impossible. In 31 minutes, it plays with all the genre’s typical themes — violence, isolation, revenge — from a queer perspective.