Perhaps the most hyped film of 2018 is Alfonso Cuarón's "Roma". Cuarón is very quickly becoming one of the industry's most respected directors. Ever since being shown at the Venice Film Festival where it captured the prestigious Golden Lion award, "Roma" has been thought of as a possible frontrunner for Best Picture on Oscars night. I won't be surprised if it wins.
"Roma" takes place in 1971 in Mexico City and its surrounding areas, and it breaks the unwritten rule of having an inciting event very early that propels everything that comes afterwards. Instead, it's a constant observation of how a family functions and about some other things taking place outside of the family dynamic that cause the viewer to feel like they are watching a family through a two-way mirror. It feels extremely voyeuristic, which in turn makes all the actors seem like they're not acting.
At the center of it all is Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) who is one of the employees of a middle-class Mexican family. She is a housekeeper and caretaker for the family, especially the young kids, who love her like she is part of the family. Sofia (Marina de Tavira) and Antonio (Fernando Grediaga) are the children's parents.
A crisis envelops the family when Antonio leaves to be with his mistress, thrusting his wife and children into tougher financial and emotional times. Cleo also goes through her own personal crisis involving a man she meets and becomes involved with. Surrounding these crises is a political crisis affecting the people of Mexico City. Cuarón never fully describes it because its impact here, while important, is secondary. What matters most in "Roma" are the individual lives of Cleo and the people she looks after.
During its first fifteen minutes, I wondered what made this a great film, but it's the way Cuarón and Cleo gradually draw us in until we feel like we have become part of the lives we are watching.
There are some high impact scenes, but not many. This is more about being gradually absorbed into the world of the characters and by the end I was thrilled by it and didn't want it to end. "Roma" might become one of those films that leaves a major imprint. It certainly left one on me.
| Movie title | Roma |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2018 |
| MPAA Rating | R |
| Our rating | |
| Summary | Alfonso Cuarón cements his place among our greatest living directors with a film that will stay with you long after you have seen it. |
