Amores Perros (2000) – Alejandro González Iñárritu
Summary: “Life’s a bitch“, “Loves lost” and “Very bad love affairs” all appear when searching for a translation of the film’s title, which tells the story of three people who have no other connection than all being involved in a fatal car accident in Mexico City. Octavio, (Gael García Bernal), causes the accident by speeding past a red light. Fleeing from a dog fight where his dog Cofi was seriously injured, he goes to extreme ends in the hope to make fast cash to runaway with his sister-in-law, Susana (Vanessa Bauche). Octavio crashes into Valeria (Goya Toledo), a successful model who has a popular talk-show in Mexico and is rumoured to be dating a famous movie star. Daniel (Álvaro Guerrero), the older man Valeria is actually dating, plans to leave his wife and two children to be with her, however the car accident not only wrecks Valeria’s car but also tears into her professional and private life too. Chivo (Emilio Echevarría) wanders onto a street corner and is witness to the accident, although at a first glance Chivo may only be another homeless man he has a colourful past which has led him to a job which funds his present and secretive life today.
My review: An everyday incident, such as a car crash, which brings together a story of three people who would not otherwise meet in any other situation, already reads as the signature of a Alejandro González Iñárritu film narrative. In the director’s true fashion the movie hits hard and deep through shots of realism and interconnecting themes, despite being his first full-length feature film. From starting this project on World Cinema, González Iñárritu has quickly become one of my favourite directors, not just in the foreign film catagory. A great watch and if this was the film which got him noticed then I can see why!
Rating: 4/5
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