Written by: Carlos Cuarón & Alfonso Cuarón
Starring: Maribel Verdú, Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, Diana Bracho, Andrés Almeida
Rating: [4.5/5]
Youth gets wasted by the young often gets bandied about by those who have experienced life and look back at the preciousness of one’s early years. A time when one’s body stands at its strongest, the mind continues to expand, but often gets wasted by the stupidity we inhabit due to inexperience at this stage in life. The two guys we follow in Y tu mamá también have plenty to learn and as they go on this road trip, they go through an experience they will never forget in the greatest road trip movie ever crafted.
With their girlfriends going on a summer European trip, Tenoch (Diego Luna) and Julio (Gael García Bernal) look forward to a period of time where they can live as bachelors. They propose to go on a beach trip with the wife of Tenoch’s cousin Luisa (Maribel Verdú) and they’re surprised to hear she takes them up on their offer after hearing some news.
A sublime beauty emanates throughout Y tu mamá también that one does not need to dig necessarily too deep for. A zeal for life and freedom from the shackles of expectation and life in general that allows for something as special as what we receive in this film. It puts everything out there for the audience to either accept or reject in the way it so brazenly presents its characters, their motivations, and the emotions in play. Opening with back-to-back farewell sex scenes Tenoch and Julio share with their respective boyfriends center on the idea of them promising themselves to be faithful when apart. A notion that the guys completely forget about the second the girls get on the plane and depart. Right from the onset we see right into the reality of us dealing with some very immature individuals and it only gets further exemplified as the film carries on.
In this stage of their lives, Tenoch and Julio care so much, if not too much, about their own pleasure, which we see not only through their actions but also in the way they talk. They carry conversations in such a crude manner about what they want to do over the summer and how they specifically talk about women that admittedly could get tiring if not for what transpires on this road trip. They think they have found themselves in a situation where they get exactly what they want, but in the end, these young guys prove they can only think with their genitalia further exposing themselves emotionally when interacting with Luisa. She becomes the lynchpin of this entire film and would not work if not for what Maribel Verdú brings to this role.
As they navigate this road trip to the beach, Luisa gives both Tenoch and Julio exactly what they want but in a manner that forces them to confront not only their insecurities but also their complete stupidity when it comes to their emotional intelligence. They can’t think one step ahead beyond getting off in a sexual manner, which sets them up for the arguments they eventually have with each other and the revelations that come to light. Luisa essentially unleashes this between them by being between them and challenging their perspectives in all that transpires here. She lets loose the emotion and ultimately remains what stays in my mind whenever I think of this film through all of her dances and harnessing everything this trip has to offer, especially when we get to the end. Maribel Verdú is simply astounding in the role of this captivating figure who certainly captures the attention and affection of Tenoch and Julio.
Following this trio around the small towns and villages of Mexico as they make their way to the beaches we have the conversations between these characters along with various instances where the audio cuts off with the narrator providing the back story and general observations made throughout this journey. Certainly, a bold approach to take on and one that would not work in less capable hands. The choice of cutting it out makes it even more jarring where you could have a concern your sound system went out but this proves vital to show the truth of what sits under the surface outside of what Tenoch and Julio purport about themselves on the outside. It gives this feeling of the truth breaking through the facade and it effectively lays elements of the narrative out.
By far the trickiest element this feature had to navigate to work was making Tenoch and Julio likable characters as we go on this journey with them. Given the dialogue slotted for these two where they so crudely talk about how they view the world in such an immature manner, with the wrong set of actors it could lead to disastrous results but thankful we had the beautiful combination of Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal, who demonstrate early on the special bond the pair will have in their lives but also demonstrating them as two of the most fascinating actors of their generation. The rapport they produce together creates instant chemistry that makes their approach to life one where it proves evident they need to learn and man they work perfectly together here.
Filled with plenty of sex and displaying this sense of freedom, Y tu mamá también has this zeal for life that proves incredibly infectious. With this film Alfonso Cuarón pieces together not only a fantastic road trip movie but one that comes drenched in emotional resonance as we take in Mexico from the big city to its smaller villages showing the beautiful landscape and the majesty the land has to offer. He presents a tale of two young guys needing to learn an important lesson about the beauty and the ethereal nature of life in such a magnificent manner. Everything, however, hinges on the impeccable performance by Maribel Verdú as Luisa as she helps teach them this lesson unintentionally by just living out her life in a way that brings her happiness. Truly a one-of-a-kind film that gets better with more time to let it marinate.
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