It's a Dog eat Dog World (Amores Perros (DVD))

Member Name: kittykat18

Product:	Amores Perros (DVD)
Date:	08/10/02 (763 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Original, gorgeous men, thought provoking

Disadvantages: Violence

The opening to this film is one of the best I have ever seen. It's fast moving, energetic, violent and passionate. It leaves you asking questions-

Why are the two young men being chased through the streets of Mexico?

Why is there a heavily bleeding dog on the back seat of their car?

Like Pulp Fiction, this film dips in and out of time, going back to previous events and showing the same moment in time from different characters perspectives. The opening car chase ends in a dramatic car crash which affects three random peoples lives and sets the ball rolling for the film.

Essentially, Amores Perros (Love's a Bitch) is three intertwined stories set in Mexico City. The film is in Spanish with English subtitles, although much of the films impact is visual. The stories are weaved in and out of one another although one story tends to have the prime focus at any one time, until it reaches its climax and ends.

The story of which most of the film is occupied with, is that of Octavio, who is in love with his brothers wife, Susanna. His brother, Daniel, is a violent criminal. Octavio starts to place his dog into fights in order to raise the money they need to run away together.

The actor who plays Octavio, Gael García Bernal, is excellent, you can really sense his passion for Susanna and his pain at seeing her with his brother. He is also stunningly attractive. All of the acting in this film is very strong, I could not find fault with any of the characters, it was a very good ensemble piece.

The next story which thread together the film is that of beautiful model, Valeria, who is having an affair with a married man and is involved in a horrific car accident leaving her unable to work. A story line involving her dog is very unsettling- the fear and treipdation of the unknown had my heart thumping. Compared to the blood and gore which is frequently part of the dog fighting scenes, Valeria losing her dog
seems like nothing, but I found it very creepy, especially consdiering the state that the other dog characters in the film ended up. Goya Toledo , who plays the model is very beatiful but also an excellent actress who you can empathise with as she loses her confidence.

The last story is that of a political assasin who faked his own death. He walks the streets with a trolley and bags of rubbish, and takes sick dogs home to nurse them back to health. Considering that he kills people for a living, he is one of the most together people in the film. He seems to go through a reformation of character throughout the film, and the scene when he leaves a message on his daughters answering machine is very moving.

At first you cannot see how the stories are connected but as the film goes on you make connections and see the events leading up to the opening car chase, and the consequences that Octavio's decision makes on the other characters. The model, the business man, the poor Mexican family and the hit man all have their lives changed by Octavio's love for Susanna. Susanna says to Octavio that;

"if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans".

None of these peoples lives work out the way they had planned, fate plays a hand in what happens to them, and this is a profound film that will leave you thinking.

The cinematography is stunning, you can feel the energy from the streets of Mexico as well as beautiful sweeping shots of the landscape. The film has a claustrophobic feel about it, a dark edge, especially in the desolate house where Susanna and her family live and in the gloomy warehouses where the dog fights take place.

The music is a mixture of classical and Mexican rap, which although I did not recognise, complimented the film well. Like Taxi Driver or American Beauty, Amores Perros is a very atmospheric piece of film, where the sounds, sights and action combine to make something memorable and
impressive.

The blood and gore is a little disturbing but this is a film about life and death, so grit yout teeth and watch it without hiding behind a pillow. Although there are several twists in this film, I managed to follow it and I am not too proud to say I can be a little slow when it comes to understanding complex plots. It's rare nowadays to finish watching a film and feel like you're buzzing and just need to discuss it with someone. Amores Perros achieves this and in my opinion, it deserves all of the many awards it recieved.

If you are an animal lover you may find some of the scenes disturbing due to the dog fighting element of the film which is a central theme. There is also a fair amount of sex, although it is more of a sexy film through looks and feelings than the actual visal act of sex. Amores Perros is an ambitious film, covering many topics and all of the big uns; love, life, death, passion, money and murder, in an original manner which makes it both highly memorable and watchable. It makes for over 2 and half hours of compulsive viewing.

It is rated 18 and if you hurry to HMV it costs only £5.99 in the sale. The official web site is http://www.lionsgatefilms.com/amoresperros/html/fl ash.html where you can see pictures, cast lists and the original trailer.

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