The astounding debut by Inarritu, Amores Perros doesn't so much weave its way through three interconnected stories, as scorch through the projector, burning an indelible mark onto the retina of anyone - and that should be everyone, save the most ardent of animal lovers - who sees it. Morality play, indictment of the suffering of the poverty stricken and the decadence of the fabulously wealthy of Mexico City, or just riveting cinema, this is a raw, nerve jangling ride.
The three stories, which cut across the socio-economic spectrum of Mexico City's indigenous population, are linked by one single incident - a car crash - that is repeated from different viewpoints throughout the film. In the first story, an aimless loser enters the violent world of dog fighting, in the vain hope that the money he wins will be enough to run away with his brother's wife. In the second, a model recovers from the crash in the apartment bought for her by her lover, unaware of the dangers that can arise in the confines of one's own home. The final story tells of a former political terrorist who lives the life of a street urchin, collecting stray dogs and regretting the life he left behind, many years before.
Structurally, the film bears comparison with Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs. But that's where the similarity ends. Tarantino's first features, impressive though they were, relied heavily on their smart dialogue, clever plotting and impressive ensemble performances, for their success. Visually, they were little more than pedestrian, sometimes flat (although Jackie Brown does go some way to rectifying the earlier films' lack of style). Inarritu's film could hardly be more different. From the heart-stopping car chase in the opening scene, through to the final moments, shot on a blackened, otherworldly landscape that recalls Pasolini's Theorem, the film's visual style is as arresting as its jigsaw narrative.
Grainy, almost dirty looking, the film soaks up the various strata of Mexico's sprawling metropolis. Although some might compare the tarnished look of the film with recent Hollywood representations of Mexico (Traffic and The Mexican), Inarritu and writer Guillermo Arriaga have a different agenda. The film never offers Mexico up as the 'other', a murky world of undesirables, whose only function appears to be making the lives of the politicians and citizens of its wealthier neighbour, hell. The film's look is linked more to the moral fabric of the universe the film creates. From the people who meek out an existence on the streets, to the media celebrities who fill the hours of vacuous television programming, the grainy images tar everyone with the same brush. No one is truly bad or virtuous. Instead, each character is seen to cause suffering for, as well as suffer in the hands of, those around them. Although everyone is striving for more money, no one is happy for very long. And the more they move up the social scale, the more unhappy they become.
Engaging though the whole film is, the first segment remains the most impressive, although some may find the dog-fighting scenes too much too stomach. Cinema at its most visceral, the fight scenes recall the cock fighting sequences in Claire Denis' S'en Fou la Mort. Though no animal was harmed in either film, the tension created in the sequences, through the editing, snap pans and blurring of images, makes for a series of convincing and horrific sequences, leaving one questioning who the true animals really are.
Following the success of Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, there is a glimmer of hope that Amores Perros might branch out from the art house cinemas, getting the general release it thoroughly deserves. Riveting, raw and not for the squeamish, Inarritu's film is essential cinema.
Reviewed by Ian Haydn-Smith
Reader comments about Amores Perros
Paulina (Email address withheld) writes:
(argentina)
creo que la pelicula es excelente, pero mejor es Gael García. Es el hombre mas hermoso que jamás he conocido!!!!
Su actuación es buenísima!
Suerte Mexico!!!
gustavo (Email address withheld) writes:
Soy mexicano. Alejandro González Iñárritu creó, al parecer, la más nueva versión del neo Tremendismo Chafa. Gracias.
Rossana Bolio (r_bolio@hotmail.com) writes:
es una exelente pelicula, y ma da mucho orgullo que el cine mexicano ya este en los niveles de peliculas extranjeras
Gael Garcia es el hombre mas sexy que puede existir sobre esta tieera.
Sophia (Email address withheld) writes:
This film is a "must see"! Brilliantly scripted,the interwoven plots are a refreshing change by not playing on the the usual Mexican stereotypes... I thoroughly enjoyed it!
pepa (pepa_lcp@hotmail.com) writes:
soy de chile y debo decir que l apelícula es exelente........y concuerdo en que lo mejor es gael garcia.......lo mejor mejor mejor!
Sandro ezpeleta de guturbay (Email address withheld) writes:
acompaño en el sentimiento a paulina,pensando q gael garcia bernal es una moneria,espezimen apolineo de la criolleria mexicana;cuando estubo en españa,fue un placer y lo pasamos guay:es un gran exponente de la virilidad en el mundo gay:como marlon brando;solo esperamos q vuelva pronto por españa
Ghost (Email address withheld) writes:
This is clever film-making, that involves three different plots being inter-related. The film deals with human emotions and the day to day struggle of people.
I particularly enjoyed the story of the old man, whose lifestyle was spartan and resembling that of a true master. In fact he quoted in the film that 'a true master takes after a dog'. This quote i found brilliant. Overall, it was a fresh piece of film-making definately worth watching for any film lover.
someone (dcyspm@yahoo.com) writes:
The filmmaker thought about the film and scouted locations for 5 years before shooting.
The pseudo-homeless guy is a famous local actor/businessman who only takes a role every few years. He went to business meetings with long hair, fingernails etc. during shooting. Serious method acting.
No animals were harmed...
Great movie.
alfredo sandoval (heydweeb18@hotmail.com) writes:
esta pelicula era lo maximo ....y es serto del titulo ...amore en que es malo o bueno es una chinga ....en tu personalidad
natalia (burbujah2@hotmail.com) writes:
a mi me enncanto la pelicula .lo he se guido siempre a gael ,y espero que siga haciendo buenas peliculas,es mas estoy muy contenta de que haya venido a lautaro de chile a grabar una pelicula del che .pude compartir con el ,fue genial...
ernesto (Email address withheld) writes:
A riveting film those characters and themes intersect throughout. Visually, a
stunning piece of cinema whose characters,no matter how morally debased, still grip the viewer from beginning to end.
A film whose length does not become an encumberance as the intersecting stories keep one from ever becoming bored. Stark and gritty, brillantly edited and filmed, one comes away from this movie with much more than a simple
admiration for special effects...one comes away with food for thought and that does not mean dog food.
cal (Email address withheld) writes:
Big growling dog
On a lead
Bites It's opponents
Can anyone hear the doggy under the floorboards?
Apatrment has chunking great hole in it
Rover is that you
Rover can you here me
Old man, wants to give up killing
Loves his family
Loot is exchanged by suits to this stray
Stray double crosses them
U might have seen pulp fiction
Could it be a rip off
Kamera certainly likes it
Should it be called the best film ever?
Branko Lazic - Serbia & Montenegro (Email address withheld) writes:
This is a great movie. I enjoyed watching it. It is not typical production and I'm happy becose of that. Amores perros presents life situations and it is something I realy like. It is not like the most of western movies wich are full of fantasys and unrealistic situations (most of US movies). I preffer french movies and I must say that this one is equal with them. In my opinion this is a MOVIE and it is not some symple comercial "gun shuting action". I noted "AMORES PERROS" with 10+++ becose it deserves high note. Amores Perros have been played on Serbian national TV two times in last few months and it is translated like "Dogs life". I hope that this is not everything you have to present. Thank you for such a good and realistic movie!
Branko Lazic - Serbia & Montenegro (Email address withheld) writes:
This is a great movie. I enjoyed watching it. It is not typical production and I'm happy becose of that. Amores perros presents life situations and it is something I realy like. It is not like the most of western movies wich are full of fantasys and unrealistic situations (most of US movies). I preffer french movies and I must say that this one is equal with them. In my opinion this is a MOVIE and it is not some symple comercial "gun shooting action". I noted "AMORES PERROS" with 10+++ becose it deserves high note. Amores Perros have been played on Serbian national TV two times in last few months and it is translated like "Dogs life". I hope that this is not everything you have to present. Thank you for such a good and realistic movie!
agustin mackinlay (agustin_mackinlay@yahoo.com) writes:
La pelicula es una basura espantosa. El Tarantino mexicano!!! Lo unico que le faltaba a este pobre continente: copiar las peores porquerias yanquis. Es una barata apologia del crimen, que intenta vendernos la idea seguna la cual el crimen resulta de la 'injusticia social'. Esto es pura mentira (los que han sufrido el crimen en America Latina lo saben): el robo & el asesinato resultan de la naturaleza humana que aprovecha la falta de ley, no de la 'injusticia social'. Esta basura pseudo-guevarista nos está hundiendo.
Zenaida (shinningdarkness1986@yahoo.com) writes:
Amores Perros is a great movie! The movie engages the viewer the whole time! It is a definite must see because of its content and originality.
Paul Mc Cormick (GUANTANAMERA1981@hotmail.com) writes:
esta peli es la leche!
no tiene nada que ver con pulp fiction ni reservoir dogs. para vos q no entendeis, hay q pensar en los temas alegoricos en la peli pa comprender la verdadera situacion humana, social, economica y political en mexico y en latin america en general.
arriba mexico!
paul (irlanda)
Jim (james_roberts_1@hotmail.co.uk) writes:
A very good film, but very depressing!
It'll be interesting to see what such a gifted director as this will do next..
shirley Calderon (Email address withheld) writes:
Esta pelicula es maravillosa. Creo que hasta ahora la produccion latinoamerican esta pasando la influencia del Imperalismo. Ya dejemonos de peliculas cursis de Hollywood y empecemos a usar nuestro cerebro.
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