Con’s Score: 4 doggie do’s
The move by Netflix into producing films has been a controversial one, especially as they’re aimed at screening on their channel and bypassing cinema screens. After watching Okja I wasn’t too worried if they were going to focus on such light, silly fun. But a quality artistic film like Roma is set to turn this model on its head. This film is favoured to win the Best Picture Oscar.
This is surprising, as it is such as an intense and languidly paced film. Shot in black and white, it is set in early 70s Mexico and takes us through the eyes of Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) into the home of a middle class family of three children, in the Colonia Roma neighbourhood (so there aren’t many rapists, drug pushers and pimps around. They must be climbing a wall somewhere). Their father, Antonio (Fernando Grediaga), a doctor, decides to leave them for his mistress. The mother, Sophia (Marina de Tavira) struggles to keep her sanity as she keeps the truth from the children. Cleo has her own challenges, when she finds she is pregnant to Fermin (Jorge Antonio Guerrero) who lives in the slums and lives to fight. He isn’t going to be a good father. This is against the backdrop of a political takeover of Mexico by the junta and the Corpus Christi Massacre which gives this story another level of meaning.
Writer-Director Alfonso Cuaron (Y Tu Mama Tambien, Gravity) has really grown as a director, and he’s the writer here as well. Whereas his first film was raw and impactful, and Gravity was a big budget affair, this one is much more refined and subtle. The way he’s framed and composed many of his shots is artistically beautiful and he gives us every chance to savour them. Even the way he uses the dog droppings is meaningful.
There isn’t a lot of plot here, and much of the film feels like a series of vignettes. He’s based this on his own youth and relationship to the women in his life, particularly his nanny. It also weakens some of the story, as we don’t understand much of the political drama, as it’s seen through a young boys eyes. It does help set up the power of the late scenes. The climatic scene is a very long one-camera track shot and it doesn’t lose any of the tension. He’s shown he’s mastered his craft here (and he’s a hot favourite to win the Best Director Oscar.)
This is one of those films where there is more going on between the lines, than in the few which are uttered. Aparicio isn’t a trained actor, but she has the stillness of one (and is why she isn’t over acting and pulling focus). Cuaron has drawn a very tight yet powerful performance from her. Garcia as the mother provides so much of the bitter humour. Her arc as she struggles with the sudden loss of her husband and security is also played with a realistic touch, minus the histrionics. Both women go through significant change, but there aren’t swelling orchestras and close-ups to herald them. This story is about how women struggle with the folly of men, and how these challenges cross the class divide. And how important it is for women to support each other in spite of it.
Roma was one of the best films of 2018, but has slipped past many because of its limited cinema release. If Netflix aim to produce films as high quality as this, without the mainstream appeal and actors as tired as some of the B-graders they’ve been using, then I welcome them to the cinematic playing field. Their contributions promise to be more innovative than another superhero franchise and they could be celebrating at least one Oscar.
Con Nat’s, On The Screen
