Love Hurts

This movie is like the Mexican, updated, upgraded version of Romeo and Juliet; but it is developed in today's world, with normal and very life-like situations The movie does not fall in the extremely, novelistic kind of love, but discribes true, normal-life life; it's just like THIS happens in today's Mexico, there is a HUGE gap between the rich people and the poor people in Mexico; this movie excels in showing this GAP, shows the current rascism that exists and unmasks the really dangerous people.

• I would like to appoint that the name of the movie is "Amar te duele" (love hurts you) and not "Amor que duele "Love that hurts you", please check this one out. "Amar te duele" is a word game, which is in my humble opinion, an extremely

nice addition; besides the normal translation of "Love hurts you", it also means "Loving you hurts" and "To mars it hurts", the last phrase refers to a song (which is in the movie's soundtrack) that begins saying "I will love you from here to Mars". The soundtrack is great featuring excellent latin music exponents.

I will give "Amar te duele" a 10 out of 10, two thumbs up!

This movie includes a little bit of everything you look for in a movie: love, laughter, hate, tragedy. What makes this story so beautiful is the puppy love between the protagonists Renata and Ulises. While watching the movie, you want to scream at the parents and Renata's sister for being so ignorant and stuck up. I do recommend this movie for Romeo and Juliet movie lovers- you know, the whole "we belong with each other no matter what the world says" movie. I think Martha Higadera and Luis Fernando Pena do a realistic job making us believe that they are head over heels in love. I should say that the way they met is also very realistic. I just wish that money wouldn't dictate whom we can and cannot love, ya know? -christian

"Amar te Duele", as well as some recent films from Mexico, introduces international audiences into an inside look of the society south of the border. Director Eduardo Sarinana clearly demonstrates he is an original. In many ways this movie presents the ugly side of discrimination in that country. In a way, the screen play, by Carolina Rivera, capitalizes in a variation of the Romeo and Juliet story, as it presents us with a couple of teen agers in love, each one coming from different worlds.

Ulises, the graffiti artist and comic book writer, is a young man with a lot of talent. His only problem is being poor and coming from the type of family the upper classes of Mexico look down upon because of being 'brown' instead as pure white. Ulises doesn't have anything to be ashamed of; he comes from a loving home where both parents work in their modest business.

Enter the lovely Renata. She is a girl of privilege. We see her and her friends roaming the local mall doing what that type of girl with money and credit cards take for granted. On a dare, she goes to Ulises, who is following her and kisses him, thus setting things in motion for the tragedy that will follow.

Mr. Sarinana is an innovative director. He incorporates some of the popular culture into the film. In a great sequence, we are shown, in split screens and in comic book fashion different aspects of what Ulises has been doing, complete with captions. It is a brilliant departure for traditional Mexican film making. The use of color and black and white is quite remarkable, as it adds another layer to the texture of the finished product.

Unfortunately, the story is doomed from the start. We know how things work and realize there could be no justice, or mercy, for Ulises. For that matter, Renata will not be able to find happiness because in her world, certain things can't be tolerated.

The director gets good performances of his young cast. Luis Fernando Pena and Martha Higareda, as Ulises and Renata, are appealing as the young lovers. Mr. Sarinana also gets great performances of the large ensemble cast.

"Amar te Duele" is worth a look to acquaint yourself with a fine film maker to be reckoned with.

Compared to "Ciudades Oscuras" (wich came out the same year) the movie is very bad, yes, it's a new story in Mexican Cinema of the New Millenium, still it's a very used issue, the social difference between lovers. But let's forget the plot, and go to the direction, why the hell this guy used so many effects !!, I mean, it's good to stablish a point of view with experimental shots, but this guy totally obsesed with visual effects, i know we should blame photography director, but HEY! the director is the one with the vision ! 2 out of 5. The actress is the only good thing in the movie. =))

Poor (as in no money) Ulises hangs out with his buddies, skates (skateboards), and makes murals using spray paint on available walls. He works with his father selling stuff at an open air market, and attends high school. One day he makes eye contact with Renata, a girl from an upper class family, while at a trendy mall. They follow each other around, and she kisses him. Thus begins this movie. Their unlikely romance blossoms amidst the background of their social differences, and is doomed from the start. The differing social worlds of the two lovers clash in a memorable fight scene outside Renata's private high school. Renata's sister is a closet alcoholic, her ex-boyfriend is bitter and jealous about losing her to Ulises, and is decisive in the film's ending. The Mexico City locales and musical soundtrack are terrific.