her daughter, Vanessa, has telekinetic powers, which she uses to destroy their apartment. Gloria's life has become unbearable. She has no hope, no money, no opportunities yet she is still required to pay for the apartment, the television, the telephone, the lighting, the heating, the rates, and the weekly shopping. Increasingly desperate to find extra money to pay the bills, she is forced to work for a couple of bankrupt writers; she has to put up with a lizard that Toni and his grandmother have brought home. Unable to pay for Miguel's dental treatment, Gloria has little hesitation in allowing Miguel to live with the dentist, a pedophile. Miguel accepts once certain material conditions are met. Refused sedatives by a pharmacist without a prescription, the defeated Gloria returns home to find her husband preparing to take Ingrid Muller for a drive. An argument ensues, Antonio slaps Gloria, and she strikes him on the head with a leg of ham. Hitting his neck on the sink, he dies instantly. The police investigation does not discover Gloria's guilt. Toni and his grandmother leave Madrid for her village. Abandoned, Gloria contemplates committing suicide. She changes her mind when her son Miguel returns unexpectedly and says he wants to take care of her. Cast Carmen Maura as Gloria: housewife and cleaning woman Ángel de Andrés López as Antonio: Gloria's husband, taxi driver and forger of letters Juan Martínez as Toni: their 14-year-old son and drug dealer Miguel Ángel Herranz as Miguel: their 12-year-old son Chus Lampreave as Grandmother: Antonio's mother who lives with them Verónica Forqué as Cristal: prostitute who lives in the same apartment block Kiti Manver as Juani: dressmaker who lives in the same apartment block Sonia Hohmann as Vanessa: Juani's daughter with telekinetic powers Gonzalo Suárez as Lucas Villalba: writer who meets Antonio in a taxi Amparo Soler Leal as Patricia: Villalba's wife Katia Loritz as Ingrid Müller: German woman, Antonio's former girlfriend Luis Hostalot as Polo: Policeman with erectile dysfunction Javier Gurruchaga as Dentist who wants to adopt Miguel Cecilia Roth as Woman in TV commercial Pedro Almodóvar as Playback 'La bien pagá' Tinín Almodóvar as Bank teller Carlitos as Dinero ("Money"): lizard Background What Have I Done, Almodovar's fourth film, became the first of his works to be released theatrically in the U.S. premiering to sold-out crowds as part of New Directors/New Films series, co-sponsored by the New York