Review of Y Tu Mamá También (2001) by Larry C — 21 Nov 2014

One of two Alfonso Cuaron masterworks from the '00s. On one level, this road movie is about as frank, intelligent, and as honest a depiction of sexuality and adolescence as any in recent memory, with rich, naturalistic performances given by its leads.

On another level, it is a searching study of the thin line between the Mexico of peasants and the disenfranchised, and the Mexico of the upper-class. On an even deeper level, it is a heartbreaking look at living and dying, and the beautiful tragedy in both.

How these levels inform, enrich, and weave through each other gives the film a vitality and texture that makes each viewing rewarding. Once again, Lubezki's cinematography is restless and assured, each long take capturing Cuaron's dense tapestry with a gritty lyricism.