Don't Be Talking About My Mama!
It
is hard for me to put my finger on why I liked
this film so much. I appreciated it's honesty
and it's thoughtfulness. On the surface one
might think this is just a road trip movie... a
coming of age story like the thousands that came
before it. But director Alfonso Cuarón infuses a
depth into these characters that really
resonates and has an intense impact as the final
credits roll. This is especially true with the
character of Luisa, played magnificently by
Maribel Verdú, the married woman who agrees to
go on the trip with the two teenage boys she
befriends. She has a secret that I will not
reveal, but is the key to unlocking the film's
power.
I also admired the way in which the film breaks
every now and then for a narrated observation of
the current location... it is a powerful and
poignant technique that reminded me of the
opening sequence in last year's masterpiece,
'Amelie', where we learned the likes and
dislikes of the principal characters.
This isn't groundbreaking cinema... but it is
the kind of film that will have you wistfully
thinking about your youthful adventures... the
way things seemed to you back then and the way
they really are now. This will be a hard film to
forget... it sneaks up on you and hits home.
©
Written by TC Candler
Richard
Propes' Comment
Cuaron's
direction elevates what could have been a fairly
basic coming-of-age film into a highly watchable,
constantly moving film that doesn't really break
any new ground, but brings life to the old
ground. Cuaron's Oscar-nominated script excels
in providing each character with balance and a
tremendous authenticity. This is a film I will
probably never watch again, but it's a film I
still find myself contemplating on occasion.
Jacob
Hall's Comment
n/a
