Review of Roma (2018) by Legitsalt — 03 May 2020

Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity, Children of Men) is one of the Academy’s favourites, almost anything he makes is showered by their praise and awards. I disagree with some of the extreme fanfare, but that is not to say that many of his works are quite stellar.

While I still prefer Children of Men, Roma offers many new experiences that I admit to enjoying. Roma is mostly a stark drama which explores class divide, marital struggle, and how unresolved broken relations can leave lasting wounds.

The cinematography is the best part of Roma; there are maybe two poorly shot scenes, but the others more than make up for these. Roma is filled with expansive landscapes and busy scenes. The set pieces and extras are phenomenal; nothing feels phoney and there is a lot of everything.

The riot and search scenes are filmed over large sprawling areas with well-coordinated groups of people all portraying different characters. Roma tells the story of a dysfunctional family, the maid who serves them, and the struggles they face as the economy and family structure collapse around them.

Cuarón has truly created a long-lasting masterpiece in Roma, something that will be studied and returned to again and again.