Absolutely Fantastic

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

This movie is NOT for Hollywood-lovers who need the plot spelled out word for word to them. The atmosphere is a STRONG point it stands out for that.To answer some of the less attentive viewers comments. -They're a poor family, they kidnapped the kid for RANSOM MONEY. People ,even poor ones, will pay for their loved one. Eluded to while Marco and his wife talk. -Surprise, surprise, the general's daughter is a nympho. She works at a sex boutique (for money I believe). You don't need some background story to understand someone could just be addicted to sex. -Marco looses it. There's no Hollywood "she killed my father". Guilt for screwing her? She knows about the dead kid and wants him to turn himself in? Angry a slut is giving him moral advice? Possibly didn't want her screwing other guys anymore? -He goes to the pilgrimage to seek forgiveness for all that stuff he's done.It's a very sensual movie answering: what do you hear? what do you see? How do you feel? Some scenes are slow, just like in real life, waiting for someone or looking around. Everyday things that don't happen in 6.23 seconds like in Hollywood stuff. To soak in the details and understand what it must be like, to experience being there, takes time.Some of the BEST scenes, where in the car. Like driving in the traffic. Great scene felt like you were THERE in the car.There is some inconsistency. The couple was morbidly obese. They're supposed to be poor. How can poor people get so FAT?! Down to earth, I guess that happens in real life, BUT that was nasty. They did have a very real relationship. Nothing superficial. Overall a good movie, compared to other movies not as good. If you want to get an inside look into Mexican life, enjoy movies with strong real feelings scenes or value something out of the ordinary. MUST WATCH.

For two thirds of this film I was spellbound and then it suddenly span away from me. Listening to the director speaking afterwards, I think I know what went wrong and I shall have to view again some time to find out. It is all very watchable but slightly confusing towards the end, which is a shame and may be my fault, that of the director or even of Mexico itself. Whilst I have never been to the country it did seem that part of the lifeblood of this movie was the tangled city of contradictions itself. Even though not perfect in my eyes there was enough to show that this is a director of keen and original talent who will produce much more. His liking to work with non actors is welcome and his treatment of actual graphic sex is stunning. Very affecting, bitter sweet movie.

-likely there are no real spoilers here, but I do hate all spoilers, so erred on the side of caution.-I'm not sure if I am happy or sad that this film was so beautifully shot - had it not been, I would have stopped watching it pretty quickly.I found many elements of the Marcos and Ana plot really annoying (the conceits and the situations both). Although I appreciate a beautiful body, the contrast between the actors felt more exploitative than honest. A "truer" actress playing Ana (that is, not quite so fetching and physically perfect) would have made it less annoying. As for the sex, it was not as awful as some made it out to be - or perhaps reading the comments before watching made me expect much worse (that and I'm not fat phobic). Some scenes struck me as just right and way over done at the same time (the onanistic football watching scene is a perfect example, too much but there was something about it that I just loved).The comments here by Spanish speakers that the acting was just atrocious made me realize how much can be forgiven when you don't speak the language of the film, but even I cringed at some of the performances. The scene in the countryside between Marcos and his wife for example. Ouch.During one scene we watch Marcos walking, walking, walking through the countryside, with that dead look on his face. It would have been excruciatingly dull to watch but the landscape was breathtaking. Like I said in the beginning, the photography saved this film for me. Mexico City looks amazing in this film - I feel as though I have really *seen* the city in a way I never have previously. And the sound (so heavy on the ambient) was enjoyable as well.On a philosophical note, I tire of the notion that women's bodies are for wide consumption, and of seeing violence against women as portrayed in many films (as routine), but even with those predispositions, I could enjoy the film - well, aspects of it. The last 20 minutes or so... meh.But it was a beautiful film, for all of the flaws I saw in it. So, there you go.

This was one of the strangest movies I've ever seen. I expected to see some modern style drama with explicit elements, but I was stunned by the deep observation and human understanding, which Reygadas shows in his film. The camera work was very impressive. I admire such kind of directoring- to show everything in details and to try to be as close as he could be to reality, without neglecting the art side of the process. There was something interesting for me in the slow motion and the development of the storyline. It seemed as if the life of the underdog and his wife is somehow connected with their background, with the real everyday life in modern day Mexico city.Anapola Mushkadiz gave a great performance as Ana and her part made the movie even more complex. The urban atmosphere was strong throughout the movie and it reflected on all of the characters. I recommend this movie to all the people who enjoy serious cinema and are eager to see something different and new, away from the mainstream crap.