Review of Roma (2018) by Brent_Marchant — 07 Dec 2018

OK, I'll say it -- when it comes to this film, the emperor is indeed naked. I'll admit that the film's stunning black-and-white cinematography is exquisite and that the scenes introducing the picture's final act are emotionally mesmerizing (or maybe it's just that I was glad that something interesting was finally happening on the screen).

Unfortunately, those are about the only redeeming qualities this release has to offer. The rest is a big, bloated, underdeveloped bore that tries the patience of even the most tolerant cinephile. It's obvious this was a heartfelt project for director Alfonso Cuaron, and his personal passion is written all over it.

But, given that he's dealing with uninteresting characters in largely unexplained circumstances in a time frame for which little to no context or back story is provided, he's not giving the audience much to work with other than a glib implication that essentially says "This is authentic -- just trust me on this.

" Also, the picture's anemic attempts at incorporating philosophical and metaphysical themes show the filmmaker's got some brushing up to do in terms of effectively conveying his meaning in a comprehensible way.

If you're willing to risk the time watching this, be sure to pack a pillow and a lunch.