Roma

ROMA (2018)

Black & white and subtitles? Who can be bothered?

Fear not it’s actually pretty compelling viewing. Considering this is the guy who brought us the (inter)stellar ‘Gravity’, Alfonso Cuarôn delivers a humble character study and it is a looker.

It follows the life of a maid of a middle class family in Mexico City. She doesn’t say or do much but she’s always there to pick up the pieces of this crumbling suburban household.

I know little of the technicalities of filmmaking but even I could appreciate the superb master shots as we follow the action down a busy street for what feels like 15 minutes.

The cinematography is so crisp it feels 3D. Some scoffed when this premiered on Netflix fearing the scope of beauty wouldn’t be appreciated on a home screen but it truly doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s stunning. Like photography from the 60s. Even if you can’t commit to watching this, just have it on mute in the background during a dinner party and pretend it’s art work.

I was getting annoyed at the main character, played by Yalitza Aparicio, because I find it hard to root for timid and apologetic characters (sorry, Eddie Redmayne) but there’s that one scene where she breaks your heart - you’ll know the one - and after that there’s no looking back. And the Academy agrees (sorry, Viola).

Watch this on a Sunday afternoon and have something fun planned afterwards.

8 Astrid Kirchherr Thumbs Up