Efectos secundarios

After seeing Efectos Secundarios, I realize that Issa Lopez is genuinely a well-read, versatile, sharp director and is ready to make her mark as a pioneer of Mexican and hopefully American cinema. Where will all this talent lead her next? It's nice to see a film that pulls from many different philosophies, while having a commercial, yet universal sensibility as well as one native to the environment of Mexico City. Another thing that this film has is an eclectic music score, and an exceptionally modern look for being produced entirely in Mexico. The audience I saw this film with was on the floor in laughter most of the time. A definite recommend.

Well, maybe it is because I am actually near the intended target age group (those nearing 30, and I'm 25). Its got an interesting philosophy, it actually fits better than other recent Mexican movies, which seem to have matured from the god-awful "charro" movies from the 50's or the "Lola la Trailera" low-budget action flicks from the 70's and 80's.

It is mostly a comedy about 4 (well, 4 main, and some secondary characters) that re-unite 12 years later in a high-school reunion. They're about to hit 30, and well the movie tackles on some of the issues related to hitting 30, specially with some of them not having their teenager dreams fulfilled.

During the whole film, and in the closing dialogue, this movie also shows one thing: everything we do has Side Effects, which might be good or bad.

While entertaining for a rainy day on your couch filling yourself with popcorn and (diet?) coke, the film falls flat and the story lacks congruency (and sometimes coherence). Some of the performances are quite overacted, like Patricia Llaca's (Adan's "object of affection", constantly cheated by him). The plot is a mixture of a simple life of nearly middle aged people who behave like adolescents, and a sort of failing poetic philosophical tale. The only "decent" intimate scene between Marina and Ignacio gets disappointing due to the hysteria that interrupts it with a non-sense reaction of her. Most of the language is purposely vulgar but it makes most of the scenes monotonous, and Adan's inserted scenes reflecting the demons that keep him trapped into cravings for alcohol and drugs tend to be repetitive, and to me, they also pretend to emulate Stanley Kubrick's style, trying to give a surrealistic perception of reality. Being a Mexican, I believe the type of character's reaction towards their current circumstances is exaggerated by far. I think the film tries to reflect a neurotic part of our society when reaching the thirties (mainly of those who live in big cities like Mexico), but it just gets halfway with not much essence to admire. Watch it at your own risk.

I'm 24 and at the end of the movie I realize that I don't want to spend the rest of this time whit only one girl.

This movie is about four thirty-years-old ex school partners that are reunited for the high school generation party. The movie has everything that should matter:

1.- Good story 2.- Good interpretations 3.- Good look 4.- Good Sex scenes, and 5.- Good score (music I mean)

I'm not lying when i say that this movie is worth watching, it is one of the best movies I saw since "Sexo Pudor y Lágrimas" "Sex, sweat and tears". Probably I wasn't too excited of see Tony Dalton in this one but is acting was OK. And dude, the speech at the end... it'll catch you unarmed and will knock you up. It is impossible to escape for those truths.

Better watching with a friend in the plan of "I'm just your friend, but I know someday somehow You'll be mine"

So, that's all. Enjoy it!

This film is destined to become a classic of the new golden age of Mexican Cinema. It made me laugh out loud and it made me cry. Writer-director Issa Lopez is clearly the love child that Elaine May, Nora Ephron, Woody Allen, Pedro Almodovar, and Nancy Meyer conceived while vacationing together in Mexico.

She learned all she could from this noble parentage, and then developed an original voice that directly reflects the dreams and obstacles of 20-somethings living today -- in Mexico, or anywhere in the world.

Her characters are funny, sexy, and endearing and instantly win you over as they figure out who they are and what they are doing with their lives.

I can't wait to see Lopez' next film.