Grade: A-
Synopsis: Two friends (Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal) uncover painful truths during life-changing road trip with an older, married woman (Ana Morelos).
Y tu mamá también is a thought-provoking film. What starts as a light, comedic road-trip film evolves into an honest (sometimes brutally so) deconstruction of love, sex, friendship, and truth, that neither provokes, no placates, and as a result leaves the viewer with something to turn over in their head for quite some time.
Director Alfonso Cuarón’s exclusive use of hand-held (but not shaky) cameras gives the story an intimate, almost documentary feel, yet he still retains a sense of style, delivering several memorable images.
The script by Cuarón and his brother Carlos is a masterpiece. Every line of dialog feels true, and the character’s motivations and reactions never feel contrived or plot-driven. Further, the voice-over narration actually works and adds to the documentary feel.
Performance wise, the three leads are amazing, as none of them ever seem to be acting, which again, maintains the illusion that you’re not watching a film as much as looking through a window at these character’s lives.
That said, Y tu mamá también is not for everyone. As mentioned, the film’s sometimes brutally honest look at honesty and sexuality will be a turn off for some, but those willing to accept Cuarón’s insights will find the experience quite rewarding, thus making the film an easy recommendation.
