Review of Amores Perros (2000) by Keenan S — 17 Apr 2015

Amores Perros is a brutal, unflinching, and gripping crime drama that is not for the faint of heart or people who whine about films being too depressing or too dark. It's a film that depicts the dark underbelly of a criminal underworld, the differing human perspectives in such an environment, and the companionship between humans and their dogs. It's an unusual combination, but an absolutely brilliant film was churned out from these elements. It also happens to be one of the best films of the 21st century.

The story is anthology comprised of three stories that are connected by a horrific car crash that forever alters the lives of the characters.

Octavio y Susana.

This particular story focuses on a man named Octavio who lives at home with his mother, his brother, Ramiro, his sister-in-law, Susana, and an infant. Octavio has no real prospects in life, but is in love with Susana, and resents the way his brother treats her.

However, things take a strange turn when Ramiro's dog, Cofi, wanders away from home and ends up killing the dog owned by a dangerous gangster involved in the underground sport of dog fighting, after the gangster tries to sic his dog on Cofi.

With the gangster demanding money and seeing possible ways to make money so that he can leave with Susana, Octavio and his friend, Jorge, become involved in dog fighting, which proves to be quite successful and lucrative as Cofi is quite good at fighting.

But being involved in the criminal underworld comes with consequences and shady dealings that can go wrong at any time. Plus, Susana is always sending mixed messages to him, which leads to further issues, on top of his brother beginning to suspect Octavio's feelings for his wife.

Daniel y Valeria.

The second story focuses on a couple who recently hooked up after Daniel left his wife and children for Valeria, a successful model from Spain. As they prepare for their new lives together, things take a dramatic change when Valeria is severely injured in a car accident, which leaves her in a wheelchair and threatens to destroy her modeling career.

On top of that, her precious dog, Richie, decides to crawl into a hole in the floor of their apartment and will not come out. Meanwhile, the couple's relationship begins to deteriorate from all these events, while they are both tormented by the scratching noises under the floorboards as Richie continues to wander aimlessly beneath them.

El Chivo y Maru.

The final story focuses on a man known as El Chivo, who wanders the streets looking like a homeless man with several stray dogs in tow. The man is a former school teacher who became involved in a guerrilla group that landed him in prison for 20 years. His daughter, Maru, was taught to believe that he was dead, while El Chivo's wife died shortly after his release. Now he works as a hitman who lives in squalor, while trying to make contact with his estranged daughter.

He is hired by a man to kill his business partner, and as he prepares to carry out the hit, things take a strange turn when he witnesses a major car accident. When he goes to the scene, he tries to aid the male driver (Octavio) and then steals his wallet when the emergency workers arrive, and rescues a severely injured dog from the backseat (Cofi), who has a bullet wound.

He takes Cofi into his care and helps him recover, while he plots out how he will take out his target. However, the introduction of Cofi into his life induces life-changing revelations as El Chivo sees elements of himself in Cofi and reflects on his life's decisions.

Clocking in at 2 hours, 53 minutes, Amores Perros has a wealth of dramatic depth to offer in its 3 stories. It was interesting to see people from all walks of life as they handled the dangerous environment around them, and how a single event can induce massive changes in the lives of so many people.

It's a superb tale of love, greed, companionship, crime, and human nature all rolled into one superb, mesmerizing film. There is not a single dull moment, and not a single moment that rings falsely or drowns the viewer in schmaltz. It's a brutal and harsh film. It's a story of multiple character studies and they are all developed and feel very alive and very human.

The acting across the board is stellar, especially from Gael Bernal Garcia as Octavio, Goya Toledo as Valeria, and Emilio Echevarria as El Chivo. These 3 leads stole the show with their distinct characters and styles they conveyed. Garcia conveys unrequited love, foolhardy greed, but also conveys a level of sympathetic naivety as he tries to make the best of his situation in such a harsh environment. Toledo conveys spoiled model, but also beautifully conveys torment as her world crumbles around her. Echevarria proved to be rather enigmatic, fascinating, and dangerous in his portrayal. My words will never do these performances justice - you need to see the film and experience their greatness.

Needless to say, I was glued to my seat for the entire running time. There is so much for a fan of drama to sink their teeth into with this film because of the depth of the 3 stories and the well developed characters that inhabit this frightening and dangerous city. It's got crime, it's got romance, it's got relationship troubles, it has themes about companionship with dogs, and so much more. You're always going to be eager for whatever comes forth, voraciously devouring every detail.

Amores Perros is a masterwork of a crime drama. It's brutal and unpleasant, but also very deep and resonant at the same time. It's superbly directed, very engaging, well written, superbly performed, and very visceral and evocative. It packs one hell of a punch, and I highly recommend it to fans of crime dramas.