Average Rating: 
Rating:  - AVOID EDITED VERSION!
ATTENTION! Do not get the R-Rated version of this film! I made the mistake of watching this movie for the first time after having rented it from a certain rental chain that will remain nameless, but which, I unfortunately had forgotten, carries only R-rated imitations of films originally NC-17 or NR. Editing may not usually be such a problem, but it ruined the experience for me. In it's original form, this film is PERFECT: uniquely magical, haunting, beautiful, tragic, and all of that good stuff. I envy anyone the experience of watching this film for the first time, and I plead with anyone who is about to do so, please, please, please Do NOT get the edited version. It is an absolute masterpiece as it was originally created, and the MPAA butchered it. I am not saying the R version is bad: it was still incredible, and after watching I went out and got the original version. But, compared with how the film should be seen, it is incredibly unfortunate that the most readily available version is the one that is chopped up. Please get this film, but you have to go to an independent rental store, or buy it somewhere, but get the NR version. And do not watch the R version before watching the NR version. I only wish someone had told me the same thing
Rating:  - It has its moments
This affectionate coming-of-age film/road movie was simply, in my opinion, not as great as I was expecting it to be, judging from its various awards and nominations. That is not to say it is not without a certain distinctive charm and several affecting moments.The plot concerns two young friends who set out to find a fabled beach with a woman who is much older and married to a relative of one of the boys. Along the way secrets are shared and by the end of the trip sexual contact has occurred in every possible combination among the three road-trippers. Yes, I know it sounds like a lot of other films you've seen, but in some ways it really stands out. The actors in this film do an amazing job. Most of the characters start out as cliches, moving the story along with stereotypical actions. But such one-dimensional characters are really brought to life by this great cast. The boys are perfectly cast and eerily able to make us believe they have known each other all their lives. Maribel Verdu brings a tenderness to her character that is necessary to make us believe that this little group actually sticks together through the whole film. What really stood out the most to me were the sex scenes. No, not just because they were explicit. If I want explicit I can go to a porn store. But the sex scenes in this film bring you closer to the characters as well as bringing characters close to each other. Whereas sex in most American films seems to be airbrushed and sterile and just advance the plot, "Y Tu Mama Tambien" presents scenes of incredible sensuality and intimacy despite their locations in cheap Mexican hotels or cars alongside a road. Another pleasing aspect of this film is its cinematography. The natural look of the film onscreen perfectly matches the boys' raw language and the willingness of the camera to follow characters into bedrooms, bathrooms, or behind closed shutters. There are also no tight closeups in this film, leaving the acting to create the intimay between character and audience rather than filling a screen with an actor's face and expecting that to create sympathy for the character. The only downside I saw to this film was its script. Yes, I know these are adolescent boys, but certainly we don't have to have a juvenile sex joke in EVERY SCENE? The poolside scene was totally unnecessary, I thought; character development came through the more slow, intimate portions of the film and sequences like the pool scene just made me say, "Huh? What is that doing here?". Also, there seems to be a political undertone that is never adequately addressed. While traveling through Mexico the group sees evidence of many social classes and lifestyles. There is an allusion made by the god-like narrator to the change in the ruling party in Mexico, and there is a brief digression about the future of the man who guides the group to the mythical beach. But none of this is really tied together and it winds up looking misplaced. Overall this is a film worth seeing for its superb acting alone, as long as you are not easily offended. I hope to see all of these actors in future projects where perhaps a better script will allow their talents to really show.
Rating: - Macho chatter, ribald jokes and a very real and human story
This Mexican film by director Alfonzo Cuaron is about more than the seemingly simple plot. Two teenage boys have just seen their girlfriends off for a summer in Europe. Bored, and with raging hormones, they invite a slightly older woman on a road trip. When she discovers her husband has been cheating on her, she agrees. What follows is funny, bittersweet and filled with outrageous carnal experiences as they travel through a Mexico with wide social and political disparities.Gael Garcia Bernal is cast as Julio, the rich boy who attends parties where there are more bodyguards than guests. Diego Luna is his middle-class friend. Both are excellent actors and their macho chatter and ribald jokes kept me giggling throughout. Miribel Verdu is cast as Luisa, who joins them on their trip and teaches them a thing or two about life in general and details of eroticism in particular. She is a sensual beauty and the focus of every scene. There is also a voice-over narration, which points out details along the road such as accidents that happened several years ago or the place where a servant in Julio's home had been born. All this is background for the three main characters though, whose joyful romp is filled with fun and erotic discoveries. The dialog is explicit and real and the situations very human.It is not until the ending though that it all gets tied together, and, like the characters, I was sad and yet filled with a sense of completion and a deeper understanding of the fragility of life. Recommended.
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