rhonig’s review published on Letterboxd:
Roma is a stunning achievement, one of the greatest films of the year, if not the decade.
Here are a few reasons why you simply must see this film, whether it be in its full majesty on the silver screen, or simply in the comfort of your own home once it releases on Netflix this Friday (December 14th):
- It tells a heartbreakingly intimate story set against the epic backdrop of Mexico City in the 1970s. As we follow housemaid Cleo about her chores and day to day life, numerous stories play out around her, pulling you into this unique locale that is rich with history.
- It is breathtakingly gorgeous! Alfonso Cuaron conjures images that will make your jaw drop. He packs every frame with information, choreographing multiple threads of action across vast distances all while using a smooth, gliding camera to capture every moment.
- It is a technical masterpiece. Shot digitally and converted to black and white, Roma looks unlike any film that has come before. The Black and White creates a nostalgia for classic films; yet the crisp, pristine digital imagery makes it look thoroughly modern.
- It is a machine for empathy. Cuaron completely populated the film's cast with untrained actors, then shot the film chronologically, so that the actors learned the beats of the story as they were filming it. Thus, we experience the film along with them, reveling in moments of joy and shattering in moments of sadness. If a certain scene focused on Yalitza Aparicio's face doesn't completely break you, you must be made of stone.
