Y tu mamá también – Alfonso Cuarón
Sexual innuendo has always been a powerful tool for comedians. The difference between traditional comedians and brothers Alfonso and Carlos Cuarón is that the Cuarón brothers throw decency into the wind and bring sex to the forefront. Y tu mamá también follows the often indecent escapades of two college-aged friends, Julio and Tenoch. It is summer, and the two teens send their girlfriends off on their study abroad trip to Italy. The film opens with Diego Luna, who plays Tenoch, making his girlfriend swear that she will not sleep with men of all other nationalities, but especially Italian. From that first love scene, the Cuarón make the point that they are certainly not afraid to show sex on screen, and that sex functions more as a statement of humor instead of love. They spend the summer loafing around with the other Charolastras, experimenting with all sorts of drugs and racing each other in the country club’s pool (in more ways than just swimming). The film does not lack in stupid body jokes, naturally, as it stars two young men. Y tu mamá también has anything and everything from farting to masturbating together covered.
The real fun of the film starts when Julio and Tenoch attend a distant relative’s wedding. Because Tenoch’s father is a very high-ranking government official, the wedding is huge, boasting the president as one of its attendees. At the wedding, they meet Luisa, the very attractive wife of a particularly doltish cousin of Tenoch. Julio and Tenoch offer to take her to “mouth of heaven”, a fabricated place that is apparently the best secluded beach that nobody knows about. When Luisa unexpectedly accepts their offer, the three of them set out in Julio’s beat-up station wagon on a road trip through all segments of society. They drive through local fiestas, deal with rural mechanics when the station wagon breaks down, and stay in shady motels with filthy pools. Alfonso and Carlos Cuarón do not waste any film time, inserting commentary on seemingly insignificant landmarks. When the three drive past a gruesome accident scene where a pedestrian has been mowed down by a car, the narrator explains how the pedestrian moved from the country to find work, and why he could not take the pedestrian bridge. When they drive past a certain town, the narrator reveals how Tenoch is reminded of his nanny, who he actually used to recognize as his mother.
Through the eyes of Luisa, a new member to the lives of Tenoch and Julio, viewers learn that the two friends really share more than they imagined. The title of the film comes from the discovery that Julio has had sex with Tenoch’s mother (“and your mom too”) besides the fact that they have each had sex with each other’s girlfriend. Though it may appear to be lighthearted, Y tu mamá también explores sexuality, social class, and life and death. At the end of the film, viewers discover that Luisa, who stayed behind at the beach with the fisherman’s family, was terminally ill. The reveal is very amateur, discussed over a cup of coffee by the two men.
Despite the unsatisfactory ending to such a funny yet meaningful film, it still deserves a B+ overall. The directors take viewers on a trip through the mountainous countryside of Mexico, covering the deserts and the coast. The visuals, for the most part, are a stunning A. In terms of originality, I give this film B, despite the fact that the script was nominated for an Academy Award. There are some interesting items on the DVD that follow the humorous vein of the film. A short called “Me la debes,” (you owe me one) by Carlos Cuarón, explores dramatic irony in a storm of ambiguous screams. There are also a few deleted scenes; most notably, a montage of the three characters driving in the car, goofing off.
Y tu mamá también provides enough stimulation for audiences who may not enjoy the meaning behind art films, but at the same time hides enough nuggets in the storyline to satisfy intellectual viewers as well.
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