Wednesday 16 May 2012

Review - Y Tu Mamá También (2001 - Dir. Alfonso Cuarón)



This is in essence a grittier Mexican version of Weird Science, with less science and more sex. Gritty legend Gael García Bernal teams up with Diego Luna to play a couple of randy seventeen year old boys who somehow charm an attractive older woman (Maribel Verdú) into undertaking a road trip to a beach destination that they are not sure even exists.




What transpires is an engaging coming of age tale with the boys learning everything about life, love and the universe from their more experienced companion. The film explores wider themes of social values, sexuality and a period of economic change in modern Mexico, but is essentially a light hearted romp hardly registering a score on the gritty checklist. This is no disaster and there are even a couple of agreeable twists at the end of the film.




The acting by the three main characters is excellent with Verdú particularly impressive as the recently shunned wife, longing to regain her youth, and Gael basically doing what he does best; smoking, sweating, driving, fornicating and generally doing gritty stuff. Best of all is Diego Luna, who fulfils a role parallel to Wyatt in Weird Science, perfectly capturing a sense of likeability and rich kid naivety.




It's not a world changer and it's not particularly gritty, or particularly sexy, but it's a fruity, fun watch and shows that Mexican cinema has a great deal to offer. Perhaps it's more a sub-genre of grittiness, rather than pure grit, but enjoyable all the same.
6/10
Doccortex



If you like this you could also try:
Weird Science, Amores Perros, Open Your Eyes.




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