The Spanish director Pedro Almodovar stands as one of the most talented of his profession, what he demonstrates with two of his most recent films: Volver (2006) and Broken Embraces (2009), originally titled "Los abrazos rotos".
Them both are thrillers starring Oscar winner Penelope Cruz. The Spanish actress plays sublimely Raimunda, a mother living in Madrid, and Magdalena, an aspiring actrees, respectively. The two characters are extremely complex but Penelope Cruz manages to capture and convey their feelings and emotions. Also, these films relate because of the modest origins of the protagonists and the numerous difficulties they have to face. Last but not least, both of them feature Blanca Portillo and Lola Dueñas, two amazing Spanish actresses very appreciated by Almodovar.
However, they differ by the fact that Broken Embraces is a romantic film while Volver has little romance. Moreover, while the first one is set in Madrid, the second was also partly filmed in Lanzarote (Canary Islands). Another significative difference is that, in Broken Embraces, Pedro Almodovar incorporates a major male character, which is quite unusual in all of his works.
So, although I really liked them both, Volver was better received by critics and the public. Nevertheless, if you are interested on seeing Lanzarote's landscape, Broken Embraces has oustanding pictures of the island. Finally, Volver has more humor, as "Los abrazos rotos" is a proper romantic drama.