Review of Amores Perros (2000) by Conner R — 28 Apr 2010

I think that I can honestly say that this is one of the greatest movies ever made. It might not be as obvious as most, but this film manages to tell a story in a way that no one has ever managed to do before. Each segment tells a very different story, but all manage to show real life and real conclusions. There aren't any uplifting speeches, dynamite dialogue or flawless action sequences, but I'd never want any of those things included in a movie like this. It is anything but a conventional Hollywood film, it doesn't give you the same sequence of events, rising action, etc. You are presented with situations the way they would occur.

The first story and probably my favorite, Octavio & Susana is about someone trying to do the right thing, but getting caught up in a whole lot of trouble. Octavio knows that his brother is a horrible person and that he mistreats his wife so he takes it upon himself to save her. However, he mistakes pity for love and forces thoughts upon himself that just aren't real. He gets turned on to the dog fighting underground and makes a lot of money very fast, making a lot of enemies as well. This leads to a car chase that changes the lives of two other people as well as himself. Eventually he gives up on escape and decides to move on with his life. Gael Garcia Bernal is amazing as Octavio and extremely close to what I would consider a flawless performance. You fall in love with this character and automatically sympathize with his situation and the choices he makes.

The next segment was interesting, dealing with the decline of vanity and independence. A woman is physically impaired in the car crash and forced to end her modeling career. The events that follow play around with the idea of fate and the bad luck of human nature. The last segment really finishes off the movie nicely. It follows a man that has almost completely lost the will to live, with nothing but dogs for company. He follows around his estranged daughter in hopes of reconnecting with her, but never seems to make the emotional leap. His past and current occupation as a hitman make him one of the most complex characters I've ever seen on screen. His judgments and actions are almost completely unpredictable. He has moments of pure rage and hate and others of compassion and love. The ending fits so well with the message of the film, that life will continue. It might not be happy or just, but it will continue.