The young, mischievous Tomás arrives at his brother’s messy, dysfunctional flat in Mexico City, where the undergraduate student and his flat mate were leading a sedentary life that’s detached from the ongoing student strike. Tomás proposes that the three visit his idol, a folk rock musician, who was recently reported to be hospitalized. Drifting through the capital, from west to east, from a chaotic university campus to a posh film premiere party, the lost Mexican youth search for their identity and place in the turbulent society.
Alonso Ruizpalacios’ debut feature Güeros is an excellent piece of contemporary Mexican art cinema. The lush black-and-white cinematography, witty sound design, and intimate camera angles create a nostalgic yet relevant image of Mexico City in 1999. Will the protagonists ever find the folk musician? Will the film ever play his songs? Of course, I’m not going to spoil the fun; besides, in the end, it’s the journey that matters.
Xintong
