Chicuarotes

"Chicuarotes" (2019), a film that graced the Contemporary World Cinema section of the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival and was subsequently selected for competition at the 2019 Shanghai International Film Festival, is a cinematic gem that deserves far more attention than it has received.

Now, you might be thinking, "So what if Gael García Bernal directed it?" But let me assure you, dear reader, it's not as simple as that. Such achievements are not mere happenstance.

García Bernal, in essence, has crafted his own poignant rendition of "The Little Match Girl." While the gender roles are reversed, the essence of the story remains intact, and the result is a raw and unflinching portrayal of poverty, desperation, and the harsh realities of life on the margins of society.

Mexico, as a cinematic landscape, is a treasure trove of hidden gems. For three decades, I have been exploring its depths, and with each discovery, I am continually astonished.

Despite being a devoted fan of Gael García Bernal, owning DVD/Blu-ray copies of almost every film he's starred in, I stumbled upon "Chicuarotes" entirely by chance, through a list on Letterboxd.

The list, aptly titled "Actors Directing Films," comprised over a thousand films, and I had already seen roughly seventy percent of them. This is because, as I later discovered, I have a particular fondness for films directed by actors.

I surmise that this stems from their innate ability to understand and guide fellow actors, a skill that Gael García Bernal masterfully demonstrates in "Chicuarotes."

In conclusion, if you harbor an affection for Mexican cinema and trust the name Gael García Bernal, then do not miss this film. It's a gritty and unflinching portrayal of life in the slums of Mexico City, a film that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

What a nice surprise was this movie. Chicuarotes is the raw story of a couple of characters born in misery, and to whom the future does not bring more than more misery.

Loaded with urbanity, sleaze language, black humor and helplessness, CHICUAROTES manages to portray with realism the difficult life of those who have very little, sometimes nothing ... and their attempt to leave a vicious circle in seemingly infinite. Bravo!

I think it is the harsh reality of the Mexico that currently exists, the things that happen in this movie have really happened in the country, and it is a slight adaptation of it.

Skimming through the reviews, I noticed that a common critic consists on portraying the characters as "too dumb". Unfortunately, the representation is accurate and many people in CDMX (as in any city in which ignorance and poverty prevail) do think in such primary ways. The movie is built on a metaphor: axolotls ("water monster" in nahuatl, prehispanic tongue) which are salamanders endemic to CDMX that never fully develop and remain tadpoles, even as adults, for the rest of their lives. Axolotls are often seen throughout the movie: (a) inside the fishbowl of the main character's (Cagalera) girlfriend, and (b) outside the canteen, as graphity, before Cagalera enters the canteen and is beaten by his "dad". Some say we Mexicans are like axolotls: we have the potential to develop and finally mature as a nation, but never achieve to do so. Just like axolotls, we perpetually stay behind our true potential. We are no more than perpetual tadpoles. The movie tries to address this issue. As long as ignorance, violence, retaliation, machismo, homophobia, and similar problems portrayed in the movie prevail, no progress will be ever achieved.

A good movie, with a dramatic plot and excellent performances; I recommend it.