• Roma (2018) - Nostalgic depth - 7/10 (15/02/19)

    Roma (2018)

    Roma is a critically acclaimed drama by renowned director Alfonso Cuarón that has autobiographical elements and is also a homage to the housemaid he grew up with. It tells the story of young maid Cleo who works in the suburb of Roma in Mexico City in the early seventies. She works for an upper middle-class family who is on the verge of falling apart when the father never comes home from a business trip and has secretly started a new life with a younger woman. Cleo has some issues of her own as she is pregnant with a child she has never wanted and the child's father vanishes as soon as she tells him about it. At the same time, civil unrest increases steadily in Mexico City and has profound impacts on the entire country. In this time of change, Cleo tries to make it through and find out what she really wants to do with her life.

    The movie has several strong points that justify its great reputation. The camera work is calm, intense and precise. The movie is shot in black and white which gives it nostalgic depth. The acting performances are authentic and especially rookie lead actress Yalitza Aparicio has a raw natural talent. The movie deals with several profound topics such as family, friendship and trust. The film isn't moralizing but the viewer can't help but think about the characters' at times debatable or controversial actions, decisions and thoughts. This movie invites you to analyze, discuss and think about it.

    The film also has a few downsides. The pace is particularly slow and at times dragging for no justifiable reason. The film would have been more concise, entertaining and intense if it had been shortened by at least a half hour. While the plot is intriguing, it starts without a proper introduction and also ends without a conclusion which underlines a somewhat unfocused script writing. The movie basically exposes a slice of life but fails to wrap up its loose ends.

    In the end, Roma is a good drama that convinces with authentic acting performances, great camera work and profound topics that offer food for thought. However, the film isn't as great as its reputation and suffers from a slow pace and unfocused script writing. If you like emotional dramas or Mexican culture, you should watch this movie. Everyone else can however ignore it and shouldn't get too excited over the exaggeratedly positive reviews. Shoplifters, another foreign drama nominated for an Academy Award, is clearly the better film and should have gotten the attention Roma has received over the past few months.

    « Grandiose inspiration - A review of Avantasia's MoonglowManbiki kazoku / Shoplifters (2018) - The perfect balance between emotionalism and intellectualism - 8/10 (16/02/19) »
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