Friday, June 09, 2017

Y Tu Mamá También

Y Tu Mamá También is a 2001 Mexican film, a road movie directed by Alfonso Cuarón. It's a powerful and affecting film, both lighthearted and truthfully serious. Life as it's lived.

trailer:


Rolling Stone opens with this: "Road movies don't come hotter than Y Tu Mama Tambien". The NYT says the film "is one of those Bildungsroman films that could begin or end with the phrase "And my life was never the same again." But the director, Alfonso Cuarón, works with a quicksilver fluidity, and the movie is fast, funny, unafraid of sexuality and finally devastating."

The Guardian says, "This film is an exhilarating adventure in narrative, eroticism and social commentary." EW calls it "sad, funny, sexy, and altogether marvelous".

Roger Ebert gives it a full 4-star review and says, "Beneath the carefree road movie that the movie is happy to advertise is a more serious level--and below that, a dead serious level." He reflects on the state of our ridiculous film ratings system:
Why did he return to Mexico to make it? Because he has something to say about Mexico, obviously, and also because Jack Valenti and the MPAA have made it impossible for a movie like this to be produced in America. It is a perfect illustration of the need for a workable adult rating: too mature, thoughtful and frank for the R, but not in any sense pornographic. Why do serious film people not rise up in rage and tear down the rating system that infantilizes their work?
Rotten Tomatoes has a critics score of 92%.

6 comments:

  1. That looks like my kind of movie. I love road movies that aren't too heavy and depressing. There are enough of those kind of films already. I will look for this one. :) Thanks for the recommendation. Hugs-Erika

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    1. Don't get me wrong, there's are lighthearted moments but also some depressing stuff here, but the film doesn't wallow in it.

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  2. These two teenages look like they learn a thing or two about life on this road trip, both happy and sad. Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend! J 😊

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    1. They learn a lot about life. The adults, too, learn and grow. Like life, there's joy and tragedy and awkwardness. I'm really glad I found this one.

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  3. This sounds like it was a good film, but I wonder about all the sex. Not that I'm a prude, but I wonder if an R rating would have been strong enough to keep kids their age at bay. We grew up so fast once movies started sharing so much intimacy.

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    1. It was released without a rating here to avoid the NC-17 rating. There was some discussion at the time of the hypocrisy in the ratings system in regards to violence as opposed to sex/nudity.

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