Roma

Starring: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Nancy García García, Jorge Antonio Guerrero

Director: Alfonso Cuarón

Set in 1970’s Mexico City, we follow Cleo (newcomer Yalitza Aparicio), who is the housekeeper for a middle class family and their four children. When she isn’t with the family, she is with her boyfriend Fermin or good friend Adela, who also works with her. The film follows the ups and downs of a year in Cleo’s life, including the family she works for falling apart, her becoming pregnant, and the civil unrest that grows in the country.

It’s very apparent how close to the material Cuarón is. The movie is gorgeous, with Cuarón acting as his own cinematographer. This is maybe one of the best looking films I’ve seen in quite some time and one that is wisely shown in black & white. He infuses each frame with care and respect for not only Cleo, but the time and culture as well. Featuring many shots of life in Mexico, the film just feels alive and has a real pulse that helps give the film an admirable authenticity. This shouldn’t be a surprise from the Oscar winner Cuarón, a visual maestro who brought his visual flair to Children of Men and Gravity.

Casting a non actor or newcomer in the lead is a huge risk, but it pays off wonderfully for Cuarón. This is very much Cleo's film. Yalitza Aparicio is the beating soul of the movie and the camera never leaves her perspective. She especially shines towards in the end in some of the more gut wrenching material. This adds some needed tension, especially once the civil unrest bleeds into the story.

While an emotionally rich story, I am not the target audience for the film and there were some aspects of the story I didn’t connect to. This caused the film to drag a little bit for me and feel every bit of its two hour and fifteen minute run time. This being said, don't miss out on the film. There is definitely still a lot to take from the film.

The film definitely begs to be seen on the big screen, not only because of the cinematography but there are lots of subtle things that Cuarón does with sound design. See it on the big screen then again once it is released on Netflix a few weeks later.

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