Review of Amores Perros (2000) by Samuel L — 19 Dec 2010

A film that brought Latin American cinema back into the world cinema with a bang. Quite literally, as a car crash is the pivot round which three different storylines revolve, each also using dogs in central roles to bring out the tough love themes for each character.

Mexico city is the vibrant and violent location and Inarritu's handheld camera and rough, grainy but energetic visuals match the environment perfectly. The storylines are all involving with good actors, from the lovesick brother playing a dangerous game in the dogfighting scene, to an injured model and her married lover whose dog disappears under the floorboards of their expensive new apartment and finally a political activist who left his family to follw his beliefs, now living a reclusive existence as a tramp and hitman.

The dogs are all metaphors for aspects of their owners and the relationships between them. At 2.5 hours the film may have benefitted from a touch of editing but it was a very strong calling card for Mexican cinema and remains so ten years on.