Hope is elusive in “The Room Next Door,” which returns writer/director Pedro Almodovar to one of his cinematic obsessions: death. The film is an adaptation of a 2020 novel (“What Are You Going Through”) by Sigrid Nunez, examining the relationship between two longtime friends and the strain involved when plans for euthanasia are introduced for one of them. Almodovar doesn’t craft a hard-hitting study of medical decline with the picture, still remaining true to his melodramatic interests and love of cinematic craftsmanship, retaining the power of sight and sound in the feature. “The Room Next Door” is more unwieldy than other offerings from the helmer, not always providing a rich sense of storytelling and character, but the idea retains potency and a refreshed feel of gloom from Almodovar is interesting to watch, especially from a moviemaker still connected to the vibrancy of life. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com