Amores perros

This Mexican movie was surprisingly good. I confess the sin of prejudice concerning Mexican cinema, this being maybe the second Mexican film I have ever seen, but here my sins are punished. This is the work of a director of big talent. Hopefully, he will not be spoiled by the success.

Three different stories in today's Mexico mix with very few common elements. The characters belong to different social categories, and nothing connects them at first sight, excepting the feeling of un-happiness, and - yes - dogs. Dogs play an important role in all three stories. One more warning - there is a lot of cruelty including dog fights - this film is certainly not for sensitive animal lovers.

Directing is excellent, the stories are human and complex and despite their melodramatic or sometimes tragic outcome, they still leave you with a shade of hope - maybe because the humanity that the author uses to create his characters. There are so many memorable scenes, that I would commit another sin to pick any and describe it here - just rent, or go to watch this movie in the theater - it is worth all 150 or so minutes you will spend. 9/10 on my personal scale.

This movie is a must-to-see if you can get over the 'subtitles' fact. (I didn't have no problems with it because I understand Spanish). Personally I was really impressed by the quality, perfection, and superb acting of this Mexican movie. The movie consists of three different stories connected by one sole incident. Sometimes you will see the same scene from a different point of view. Or you'll see an out of place scene that will make sense later on. The script was exquisite, very loyal to the culture. The direction was brilliant keeping us interested from beginning to end. And the performances were excellent, so natural and real that you felt as if they were people you knew. Be aware there's extreme violence in this movie, and even though there were kids in the theater I went to, this is not a family movie. I don't recommend it for children if you are a responsible parent. This movie deserves an award.

Nothing in this film happens for no other reasons than bad decisions taken from the depth of the most negative emotions of our species. It's a portrait of how brilliant we are at just doing harm to ourselves while also having an impact on the lives of the people around us. A very good film, with good storytelling, good acting, good photography and good musics, which is a tribute to human unease.

Comprising but not limited to, three stories all connected, and all sharing canine glue, shows how some loves and aspirations, formed and built on weak foundations, can implode through separations, leaves folks lonely and eschewed.

All elegantly carved and crafted around the streets of Mexico City by the perpetually impressive Alejandro G. Iñárritu, who takes Guillermo Arriaga's tale to deliver as angry a film as you're likely to come across, and one that delivers just as savagely some years on from its initial release. Often shocking with its portrayal, leaves you under no illusion of the desperation and despair of the lives of those it presents.

Three stories of life in Mexico, all loosely linked by one core element, dogs.

What a powerful and shocking movie this is, Amores perros is one of those films that truly lives with you.

I can't admit to seeing a huge amount of Mexican films, but I've certainly seen Mexico, Mexico City in particular as the setting for many crime documentaries, it is clearly one busy, but very dangerous City.

Intensely thought provoking and engrossing in equal measure, this film hits hard, full of violence, and I don't know what this says about me, but the violence between people was standard fair, the violence involving the dogs was hard to watch.

Unsettling in so many ways, people making bad choices, which of course have consequences, it really does show humanity at its worst.

My limited Spanish wasn't good enough to understand most, but I didn't mind the subtitles at all, sometimes it was a little hard to read them as the movie had several fast paced scenes.

Emilio Echevarría puts in a terrific performance, but the whole cast are hard to fault.

8/10.