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Amores Perros film review
AMORES PERROS
Running time: 153 mins
Starring: Gael Garcia Bernal, Vanessa Bauche, Marco Perez, Goya Toledo, Alvaro Guerrero, Emilio Echevarria
Before the opening titles is a disclaimer alerting viewers to the fact that no animals were harmed during the making of the film. Unfortunately the same claim could not be made of those who watch the film. Coming away from Amores Perros (which translates into 'Love's A Bitch'), it's hard not to feel psychologically damaged. For two and a half hours, via three very different but equally violent stories, the film offers a savage indictment of humanity.
Directed by 37-year-old Mexican Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Amores Perros has accumulated a mantel full of awards including a best foreign film Oscar nomination last year. Although it's understandable why the brash and intriguing film caught the critics' attention, what is less clear is the value to be drawn from enduring such unrelenting misery.
The film's opening story, 'Octavio And Susana', begins with a frantic car chase through Mexico City. On the back seat of one car lies a bleeding dog. The chase ends in a dramatic crash. From there the film plays freely with time and perspective as it jumps back and forth between the three different stories. We then join Octavio (Gael Garcia Bernal) during the period leading up to the fateful car crash as he endeavours to raise money to start a new life with Susana (Vanessa Bauche), the mother of a young baby and the wife of his abusive brother Ramiro (Marco Perez). The volatile relationship between all three is echoed in Octavio's relationship with his beloved pet Rottweiler Cofi. When he inadvertently discovers Cofi to be a champion dog fighter, he exploits the dog's ability unmercifully for financial gain.
It is the brutality of the dog fighting sequences which necessitate the warning and make the film uncomfortable for dog lovers. It's ironic that we don't find the same treatment when meted out to humans to be equally upsetting.
The second part of the trilogy, 'Daniel And Valeria', centers on Valeria (Goya Toledo) who is driving the other car when Octavio slams into her. From this catastrophic introduction we go back in time to discover Valeria to be a beautiful model and the mistress of Daniel (Alvaro Guerrero), a successful magazine publisher who finally abandons his wife and family for the younger beauty. Crippled by the accident, her career over, Valeria is haunted by her past as she peers from her window across to an image of herself on a giant billboard. Her tragic downfall continues when her cherished little dog disappears under the floorboards of their apartment. Despite repeated calls and the occasional sound of whimpering, the dog remains at large. Valeria's circumstances may be different from Octavio's, but the inference that despite class man is equally dependent on their pets, is clear.
The final story, 'El Chivo And Maru', focuses on the homeless Chivo (Emilio Echevarria), a one time revolutionary obsessed with his estranged family, he now survives by hiring out his services as a hit man. His days are spent walking the streets with his dogs and it is on such a walk he witnesses the ill-fated car crash.
The film's dark collection of characters are vividly portrayed, particularly the layered work of Echevarria. And while the film's intertwining stories have brought comparisons to Pulp Fiction, with Gonzalez Inarritu proving on his debut that he is undoubtedly a formidable talent, Amores Perros shares little else with its illustrious predecessor.
I don't need life sugar-coated, however I would have welcomed some contrast. I appreciate that love can be a bitch, but when she takes a piss, I'm not sure I need to be the lamppost.
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