Y Tu Mamá También (****)
review by Jon Waterman

Two teenage boys take a road trip with their older, wiser, female cousin (through marriage) to an isolated beach that may or may not exist. The two boys, Julio Zapata (played by Gael García Bernal – "Amores Perros") and Tenoch Iturbide (played by Diego Luna – "Before Night Falls") want to "learn" from this woman (played by Maribel Verdú), and so they create a trip to help them "get to know" her.

I’m trying to be subtle, but the movie sure isn’t. From the opening scene to near the end we get "popped in the eye" with nudity and sex scenes. Of course, this movie isn’t all about "humping." It’s a character "driven" piece full of emotions. On each leg of the trip, we learn something new about all of them which helps us understand who they are a little bit better.

"Crossroads" could learn a thing or two from this movie. We get so much raw emotion and feeling from the actors that could never be possible from Britney. These characters have (as movies go) real faults and real problems and deal with them in real ways that make real sense. "Crossroads" is as fake as Spears’ chest.

If you see this film (and you should), and you want to thank them for giving you a film with substance, then you should send your cards to Alfonso (director/co-writer) and Carlos Cuarón (co-writer). These brothers have teamed up for the first time to create a surprisingly heart-warming story that somehow still leaves you feeling dirty.

I suppose my only complaint is the narration track. The film is told with an omniscient narrator. You’re made aware that he’s coming on, because the audio cuts out completely. If you think about it, it makes sense. You don’t want to be distracted by the background noise, and also, if he’s not a character, then why treat him like one…give him his own presence. So, it works, but at the same time, it’s still a little off-putting.

This movie is about lust, sacrifice, life, remorse, learning, sharing, living, truth, losing, laughing, and above all friendship. If the film is in your town, you owe it to yourself to check it out. Don’t be afraid. They’re only subtitles.

respond to jon@filmbrats.com