Y tu mamá también
Mexico
2001
105 Min
Color
1.85:1
Spanish
Synopsis
This beautifully filmed, expertly acted movie about two 17-year-old, middle-class Mexican boys on summer break is deceivingly complex. The basic plot of the film is that best friends Tenoch (Diego Luna, Before Night Falls) and Julio (Gael Garcia Bernal, Amores Perros), who think of nothing but sex, convince a beautiful 28-year-old woman, Luisa (Maribel Verdu), to go on a road trip with them to a nonexistent beach. They get lost. They flirt and giggle and fawn over Luisa hoping to win her over with their boyish charms. And that’s about it. But that simple plotline merely provides structure for the poetry and meaning that is woven into the film with photography and narration. Periodically throughout the film, while the action continues normally, the sound stops. A voice over then gives information—sometimes a brief biography of one of the characters (birth date, name of father and mother, consequences of birth, primary childhood experiences), or a note about what each of the characters is really thinking, or a news report or historical comment that brings Mexico’s tangled politics into the context of daily life. Never is the voice connected to a character in the film. It simply floats. Meanwhile, underwater photography, roving shots of the Mexican countryside, and affectionate close-ups on the characters communicate a solemnness that is not present in the plot. All of these pieces fit together easily, resulting in an excellent, whole, thoughtful film. –amazon
Director
Alfonso Cuarón
Among the most successful and talked-about Mexican filmmakers of his generation, director Alfonso Cuarón has shown a remarkable versatility, able to embrace old-school Hollywood elegance as well as rough-edged and darker-themed contemporary stories. Cuarón was born in Mexico City in 1961; he went on to study both filmmaking and philosophy at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. After graduating, Cuarón began working in television in Mexico; in 1991, he landed his first big-screen directorial assignment. Sólo Con Tu Pareja was a dark comedy about a womanizing businessman who learns he’s contracted AIDS; the film was a massive hit in Mexico, and was enthusiastically received around the world.
In 1995, Cuarón released his first feature film produced in the United States, A Little Princess, a graceful and elegant adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic novel. Cuarón’s next feature was also a literary adaptation, a modernized version of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations… read more
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Tiago Vitória
12Feb12
Not so attractive as it could be. As a matter of fact, I think it's an overrated film. Alfonso Cuarón had little concern about the framing in this filme, the environment needed sometimes more freeze frames and less handycam moments. The story it's very poor at the beginning but there is a growing improvement till the end. The best are certainly the roles by Maribel, Diego and Gael.
Salaway Gennaro
24Dec11
I had to watch it without subtitles. It didn't pass the Hitchcock test. GG Bernal was perfect.
ramosbarajas
26Oct11
The film reveals a lot about Mexican culture and society, definitely going beyond the label of buddy road movie. Showcasing Mexican culture, it delivers a reflective, but detached narration that shows the intricacies between the three main characters and what is setting them apart. Beautifully shot and directed the film goes beyond of what one may expect by reading just the synopsis.
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Y tu mamá también (2001)
By Paul Drude on January 7, 2011
I don’t think I have enough context to fully appreciate this movie.
My impressions after viewing it were dull.
The film is good. They touch on some good drama. The setting and characters… read review
My face is in your Mum and that is where she likes me...
By Dean Leonidik Ryder on December 30, 2009
These boys are just that at the beginning of the film. They are explicit in all respects: sex, drugs and bodily functions. Seeing how unnecessary many of these behaviours are, is a critical part of… read review
Untitled
By Alonso Díaz de la Vega on November 28, 2008
Not only is this the greatest portrayal of the Mexican upper class and lower class pretending to be richer, but it’s Mexico itself. Throughout the journey, we see typical scenes of Mexico City and… read review
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