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Apr 19, 2017lukasevansherman rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Mexican-born writer/director Alfonso Cuaron has had an interesting career. He made his debut with a film and Spanish, then went North, like his compatriots Guillermo del Toro and Alejandro Inarritu. He made 2 splashy literary adaptations in Hollywood, "The Little Princess" and "Great Expectations," before returning to Mexico for 2001's "Y Tu Mama Tambien." He'd go on to make bigger and more popular films, like one of the "Harry Potter" series and "Gravity," but I think this is still his best. It seems a bit like a palette cleanser after his Hollywood period; it's grittier, funnier, and sexier. It takes what could've been a cliche-ridden fest about teenage boys and a hot older woman and makes something genuine, exuberant, and moving. Much of this has to do with the three excellent leads: Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, and Maribel Verdu. Cuaron and his cinematographer find a balance between a spontaneous, raw style and a more lyrical one. Mexico is practically another character. This is the deluxe 2-disc Criterion release.