Y Tu Mamá También (2001)

A fragile male relationship torn apart by socio-economic differences

Y Tu Mamá También, dir. Alfonso Cuarón (2001)

While dropping off their girlfriends at the airport, teenage boys Tenoch and Julio mope about how they better not sleep with any guys on their summer abroad in Italy. As soon as the plane departs, though, the boys are off on a rollicking ride through a politically tumultuous Mexico City as they immediately seek out getting their rocks off wherever they can get lucky. At an upper-echelon party hosted by Tenoch’s corrupt secretary-of-state father, they meet Luisa, Tenoch’s older cousin by marriage, and invite her on a hoax road trip to a beach they’ve imaginatively dubbed “Heaven’s Mouth” as a flirty joke. To their surprise, Luisa doubles down on their offer and agrees to go.

At first blush, this could read as a teen road trip comedy romp, which it absolutely does capture—the rebellious free spirit of a romp, especially in the case of Luisa finding freedom in her femininity—but the trio’s privileged freedom is only afforded to them at the expense of a politically and socio-economically divided Mexico.

In the background of their journey, they pass road patrols that they’re able to blissfully avoid due to their higher status. They also are able to shell out a few coins in order to sidestep harassment from local beggars. In the foreground, Tenoch and Julio are seemingly the best of friends, but their relationship is rife with underlying competition. Whether seeing who can swim the fastest or one-upping each other in their sexual conquests, the superficialities of their relationship are tested in the ultimate competition for the affections of Luisa. In their betrayal, the two quickly latch onto the elephant in the room: the unsaid class differences between one another.

The use of cutaway narration, reminiscent of French New Wave cinema, offers additional context of the Mexico beyond our trio, but in a cool, non-judgmental tone towards them. It also provides glimpses into the characters’ inner conflicts, even as they revel in their sun-soaked adventure. I’m at odds on whether or not I liked this technique. While the added context enriches the story’s complexity, I found the execution somewhat jarring. The sound would drop out entirely during these moments, breaking immersion and pulling me out of the narrative. Retaining some diegetic sound under the narration might have softened the disruption. Ultimately, this technique creates a certain distance, making the viewer feel more like an observer than an active participant in the story.

Overall, though, I loved the rich complexities of this film. I was initially going to do a write-up about Challengers, but watched this as a suggested pairing because of The Next Picture Show podcast and found this makes that movie pale in its comparisons in every way.