Summary
6 tech score
“Roma” (Netflix)
Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” is the kind of movie I would like to study in a “creative filmmaking” class. It has superb cinematography, strong acting, and many other elements that could be discussed and analyzed ad infinitum. But as an entertainment piece it just bogs down early on and never recovers. I can’t imagine this film playing to a large audience on Netflix or in any movie house where it is booked.
The film takes place in a section of Mexico City during the 1970’s. It is shot in black and white and the dialogue of the film is Spanish with subtitles for those not well versed in that language. The story focuses on a young housekeeper named Cleo (Yalitza Apiricia) whose employer is Sophie (Marina de Tavira), a doctor’s wife and mother to their four children.
For a couple of years the audience is an observer of Cleo’s life, the good times and the bad. It is all interesting but it is not impactful. It really is just a slice of life. It has its starting point and has its ending point and everything in between just happens.
There is one scene in the movie where Cleo is searching for two of the children who have gone into the ocean. Cleo can’t swim and she has to go further and further out to try to find the children. The camera angle is from her side so that members of the audience can’t see what is in front of her. This is just a one scene that is brilliantly focused by Cuaron. He keeps the audience in suspense until the last possible moment.
Cuaron does this wth other scenes by foreshadowing what is possibly going to happen in Cleo’s life and then letting it happen or maybe not. It is genius in its application but it still can not make more of Cleo’s story than what occurs in her life.
The movie is rated R for profanity, violence and graphic nudity.
I am sure there are those who will finds more to Cuaron’s film than I did. It was a movie that was more art than entertainment. Some scenes are just beautiful to look at but do not have the power or intent to reach our hearts or our emotions. Since I was not one who was touched by the film at the end of its playing time I was more than ready to say “Arrivederci, Roma”.
I scored “Roma” an artistic 6 out of 10.
Jackie K Cooper
www.jackiekcooper.com
