Y tu mamá también (2001)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Alfonso Cuarón

Writers:

Alfonso Cuarón (screenplay)
Carlos Cuarón (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 June 2001 (Mexico)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

La vida tiene sus maneras de enseñarnos. La vida tiene sus maneras de confundirnos. La vida tiene sus maneras de cambiarnos. La vida tiene sus maneras de asombrarnos. La vida tiene sus maneras de herirnos. La vida tiene sus maneras de curarnos. La vida tiene sus maneras de inspirarnos.

Plot:

In Mexico, two teenage boys and an attractive older woman embark on a road trip and learn a thing or two about life, friendship, sex, and each other.

Plot Keywords:

Mexico | Road Trip | Friendship | Older Woman | Beach

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 33 wins & 27 nominations

Cast

Ana López Mercado	...	Ana Morelos
Diego Luna	...	Tenoch Iturbide
Gael García Bernal	...	Julio Zapata
Nathan Grinberg	...	Manuel Huerta
Verónica Langer	...	María Eugenia Calles de Huerta
María Aura	...	Cecilia Huerta
Giselle Audirac	...	Nicole Bazaine
Arturo Ríos	...	Esteban Morelos
Andrés Almeida	...	Diego 'Saba' Madero
Diana Bracho	...	Silvia Allende de Iturbide
Emilio Echevarría	...	Miguel Iturbide
Marta Aura	...	Enriqueta 'Queta' Allende
Maribel Verdú	...	Luisa Cortés
Juan Carlos Remolina	...	Alejandro 'Jano' Montes de Oca
Liboria Rodríguez	...	Leodegaria 'Leo' Victoria

Also Known As:

And Your Mother Too (USA) (informal literal title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content involving teens, drug use and language.

Runtime:

105 min | South Korea:102 min

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Philippines:R-18 (re-rating) | Philippines:X (original rating) | Brazil:14 (DVD rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Belgium:KNT | Brazil:18 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | Chile:14 | Colombia:18 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Hungary:16 | Iceland:16 | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM18 | Japan:R-15 | Mexico:C (cut) | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Poland:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R(A) (cut) | South Korea:18 (cut) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:R (cut) | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico

Company:

Anhelo Producciones

Trivia:

The phrase "Y tu mama tambien", by itself, is not offensive, but if you put an offense before it or you answer to an offense with it, it is one of the most offensive phrases in Mexican Spanish. By itself, it means "And your mother too."

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Louisa wakes up in the car at the beach, in the shot inside the car, her jeans are torn at the left knee. Subsequent shots show an un-torn pair of jeans.

Quotes:

Julio Zapata: Truth is cool but unattainable... the truth is totally amazing, but you can't ever reach it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Charmed: Y Tu Mummy También (#5.10)" (2003)

Soundtrack:

Here Comes the Mayo

Funny... but above all, a really intelligent motion picture

Alfonso Cuaron is simply one of the best Mexican directors in recent years in Mexican film production. His incredible AIDS-driven comedy, "Solo Con Tu Pareja" was maybe the most funny Mexican picture in a long time, and his always present criticism to the way of life of Mexican people in a city such as Mexico City, is incredible accurate and clever. His other projects in the United States, "Little Princess" and "Great Expectations" were beautifully-manufactured motion pictures, with the help (or support, if you may) of the marvellous photographer Emmanuel Lubenzki ("Sleepy Hollow", and the above-mentioned Cuaron movies). Returning to his home country this time, Cuaron displays such magic and poetic visuals, in contrast with the subtle criticism to the society in Mexico, and the clever and sharp dialogs between the leading stars, using every word young Mexicans use to apply in their conversations.

"Y Tu Mama Tambien" (And Your Mother Too) is, in the surface, a really funny story about 2 friends-almost-brothers, Tenoch Iturbide (an outstanding Diego Luna) and Julio (a really incredible performance for the recent Ariel, the Mexican Academy Award, winner Gael Garcia Bernal, in another excellent portray of a young guy with "issues"), that plan a trip to an imaginary beach, "Boca del Cielo" (Heaven´s Mouth) in order to flirt with a Spanish girl, married with Tenoch's cousin, and portrayed by a credible Maribel Verdu.

But this is only the "surface" of this road movie. In fact, we are dealing with dreams and realities, with social problems and political ones. Tenoch is a young guy living with a millionaire family, son of a wealthy businessman with friends in the highest "stairs" of Mexican politics, with a second name such as Iturbide (one of the most important and powerful leaders of Mexican politic history). And, in contrast, Julio is a middle-low-class guy, living with his mother, brothers and sisters, in a small department, with a last name such as Zapata (a revolutionary leader in Mexican history, with native origins, that took part in the Revolution at the beginning of 20th Century). This is a clever and sharp critic of the different models of living of these 2 friends, and in fact, of all Mexican citizens (I know it, because I'm Mexican, too).

Also, the movie has an excellent narration by Daniel Gimenez Cacho, star of a previous Cuaron film, "Solo Con Tu Pareja", that explains the things we cannot see, but that we can understand and feel. The "subtle critic about Mexican society and traditions" that I have talked about all along this comment, is the one thing that makes this picture go from a funny comedy to an intelligent essay of the lives of young people, social classes, discovery and re-discovery of personality and our own soul, and the final revelation of who we are and what we become when time passes by. In the lives of Julio and Tenoch there is no redemption, but a clear message of their goal in life, their true feelings about friendship, and their sexuality. This road trip is only a pretext to tell a story about discovery and finding our true nature.

Yes, maybe it is a little provocative and bold, but because of these characteristics, "And Your Mother Too" is an incredible motion picture, true to its meaning and compromised with the reality it is trying to show. We care about this people, we care about their problems, and at the end, we care about our own society, and we care about what we have become with time. And the true meaning of the movie's title, "And Your Mother Too", within the narrative of the film, is simply hilarious.

Give this movie a chance, and see it. You won't be disappointed. It has an excellent direction, excellent photography, its is very sexy, it showcases credible performances by all its cast. But above all, it has a real story, real character development, and real power. One great movie from a great Mexican director. Maybe not his best, but really near.