Un mundo maravilloso (2006)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Luis Estrada

Writers:

Luis Estrada (writer)
Jaime Sampietro (writer)

Release Date:

17 March 2006 (Mexico)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A fairy tale about the political and socioeconomic realities of Mexico.

Plot Keywords:

Satire | Socialism | Future | Neorealism

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Damián Alcázar	...	Juan Pérez
Antonio Serrano	...	Ministro
Cecilia Suárez	...	Rosita
Ernesto Gómez Cruz	...	Compadre Filemón
Jesús Ochoa	...	El Tamal
Silverio Palacios	...	El Azteca
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.	...	Director del Periódico
Carlos Arau	...	Joven Reportero
Jorge Zárate	...	Lalo, Secretario Particular
Guillermo Gil	...	Cara de Rata - padre de Rosa
Max Kerlow	...	Sacerdote
Carmen Beato	...	La Nena - esposa del Ministro
Larry Silverman	...	Doctor Goldberg
José María Yazpik	...	Asesor Financiero
Plutarco Haza	...	Asesor Político

Also Known As:

A Wonderful World (USA) (literal English title)
Un hombre ejemplar (Mexico) (working title)

Runtime:

Mexico:118 min | Argentina:118 min

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Mexico:B | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Company:

Altavista Films

Trivia:

When Juan Perez (Damian Alcazar) is interrogated, after being asked his alias, he says, among others, "Varguitas", which was Alcazar's character in a previous movie, “La Ley de Herodes”, with the same director, Luis Estrada.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The portrait that appears in the house of the politician Lascuraian, the Secretary of Economy of México, is, in fact, the portrait of Porfirio Díaz, president of México (1877-1911), and not from José Ives Limantour, Secretary of Economy of México in Diaz administration

Should I laugh, or should I cry?

When I watched this movie I thought I was going to sit down and enjoy a comedy and while it is very funny it is much more than a comedy. Immideately after every laugh I found myself thinking the same thing, "Wait, that's not supposed to be funny." Laughing at the shacks that thousands of people have to live in. Or, laughing at the fact that system is so mucked up that not even university-educated men and women can get a job as a janitor. These things are not supposed to be funny but Un Dia Maravilloso makes you laugh at them. Not that this film is evil for doing so. On the contrary, great satires make fun at things that are not supposed to be funny. The best example of this is Dr. Strangelove. The fate of the entire world is in the hands of these fools up the screen yet, we laugh at them (our world leaders included).

This movie is more than a black comedy. It is a comedy that makes you regret every laugh. It makes you regret every time you laughed at the dirty hobo up the screen. I watched it while in Mexico City last week and loved it. It's as thought-provoking as it is funny. It truly made me change my outlook towards poor people (truly poor people, people who don't know if they'll survive another day because lack of money). After leaving the movie theatre on my way to the hotel, I gave every beggar I came across fifty pesos. It isn't much, but I'd like to think that I eased their battle in a small way.

Besides highlighting poverty in Mexico it also brings about issues of corruption and social injustice. And which country in the world doesn't have any of those 3 things? Which is why you don't have to be Mexican to enjoy it. Run, don't walk, to Un Dia Maravilloso.