Filmsane

So I watched Roma today. It was on my must watch list for so long and I just loved it. I’ve been a fan of Alfonso Cuaron for so long, and somehow I feel that this particular movie is his most intimate and homey.

Set in a Mexico City neighborhood called Colonia Roma (hence the title) during the early 70’s it follows Cleo, one of the maids in Sofia and Antonio’s household. Played by the newcomer Yalitza Aparicio, Cleo is dedicated and good soul that happens to go to traumas in her own private live and witnesses significant traumas in the family that she’s paid to take care of.

Without getting into spoiler territory much, for me Roma is a feminist movie at heart. It’s about 2 women from different backgrounds and socio economic structures helping each other to heal and deal with the traumas that are facing. One to deal with he break-up of he marriage and the one to deal with the loss of her baby. Cleo accepts an offer from Sofia to accompany her and her family to a family trip, in order to deal with the depression after the stillborn delivery, and Sofia needs Cleo to help her deal with the impending divorce. It’s a therapy for the two of them. Their mutual presence.

They deal with loss in vastly different ways. You may see Cleo admit that she didn’t even want the baby she lost, but she mourns that baby never the less. In silence and with much dignity. And we may see Sofia being stoic and rational in the separation of her husband, but that doesn’t mean she’s not sad about it. Especially with the children in the middle of all this.

My guess is that Cuaron wanted to show this strong bond between the two women without being too pushy and in your face, and I must admit… he did that miraculously. Just look at the fabulous scene in which Cleo saves Sofia’s 2 children from monster tidal waves. She’s strong, she courageous and she’s fearless, selflessly risking her own life by going into the ocean to save the children.

Roma is a feminist movie at hart. It deals with bonding and friendship between two very different women. It deals with male abandonment and lack of taking responsibilities and deals with friendship as a way of coping through the dark moments.

I loved it.