Roma-2018

Director Alfonso Cuarón

Starring Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira

Scott’s Review #862

Reviewed February 2, 2019

Grade: A

Roma (2018) is a film to be experienced rather than merely viewed.

A cinematic, black and white feast for the eyes, and direction to be amazed by is utterly impressive and a triumph in masterful filmmaking.

On par with geographically picturesque epics such as Lawrence of Arabia (1962), the piece is not easy to watch at first. Still, the audience will become enraptured and rewarded with each passing moment as the characters emerge to flawless perfection, reaching a crescendo of magnificent art.

Set during a politically tumultuous time in Mexico City during 1970 and 1971, the film follows a young maid working for a middle-class Mexican family and her perspective on her surroundings.

She serves as housekeeper, going about her numerous duties of mopping, cooking, and even cleaning up the family dog excrement that runs rampant, and she provides emotional support for the family members.

Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) and her best friend, fellow maid Adela (Nancy Garcia), tend to four children of varying ages and their troubled parents. He is a doctor, and she is the family matriarch.

Antonio and Sofia (Marina de Tavira) have a troubled marriage as he supposedly goes to Quebec for business, and tensions mount among the family.

Through it all, Teresa, Antonio’s mother, resides with the family as Cleo learns she is pregnant, and her boyfriend Fermin flees after hearing the news.

Director Alfonso Cuarón, responsible for the writing, direction, cinematography, editing, and nearly every picture aspect, draws from his personal experience growing up in Mexico City.

Cuarón reportedly created the film as an artful love letter to his beloved family housekeeper, whom he adored. This approach creates a rich personality, intimacy, and a definite family angle.

The film centers mainly around Cleo’s trials and tribulations, but the entire family appears in numerous scenes, making it feel like an ensemble feature.

Cleo is a quiet and modest girl, happily going about her chores and serving the needs of everyone around her. She is treated well by the family and adored by the children, only occasionally enduring the wrath of Sofia’s temper and troubles, but she is loved and appreciated.

In love with Fermin and her only sexual experience, she winds up pregnant, which scares the aggressive and battle-minded young man.

The storyline takes place over a year, so we see Cleo’s entire pregnancy progress and experience her devastation as she gives birth to a stillborn girl.

My favorite aspects of Roma are the simplicity and the monumental touches that Cuarón includes.

The film begins with a lengthy shot of water being thrown on a cement garage and the puddles and circulation of the water. Seen from above is a slow-moving airplane, and numerous background shots of a slowly landing airplane subsequently appear throughout the film.

Is this to represent the slowness of life? Life, death, and near-death experiences are featured in Roma. Cleo’s pregnancy, the death of a baby, and the near-drowning of one of the children rescued by Cleo, despite the girl not being able to swim.

Gorgeous scenes of Cleo traversing through the streets of downtown Mexico City exude beauty. The scenes undoubtedly represent her journey through life and the pain and rewards that she experiences, but they also feature dozens of interesting characters if one pays close attention.

A man lighting a cigarette, a woman gazing, and other ordinary people doing things that look illuminating and like glimpses of the past are featured. The automobiles are representative of the 1970s, as a Ford Galaxy, the family car, is extensively featured.

The film’s cover art (pictured above) perfectly captures the theme of Roma and is highly symbolic. Huddled on the sand at the beach, the family encircles Cleo with expressions of panic, fear, and gratitude.

The black-and-white adds depth, as it could easily be a piece immersed in an art museum. The group of people appears unified and clings to Cleo for dear life, also in a show of support and appreciation.

The photo is endearing and beautiful to look at.

Roma (2018) received an impressive ten Academy Award nominations and numerous year-end accolades, an impressive achievement for a foreign language film.

Those who are patient enough to let the film and its components marinate will be rewarded with a fine appreciation for cinematic artistry.

The dreamlike quality with meticulous attention to detail makes this personal work a fascinating masterpiece.

Oscar Nominations: 3 wins- Best Picture, Best Director- Alfonso Cuarón (won), Best Actress- Yalitza Aparicio, Best Supporting Actress- Marina de Tavira, Best Original Screenplay, Best Foreign Language Film (won), Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography (won)

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win- Best International Film (won)