What am I doing back at the Montalbán?  It’d only been a matter of days since I last visited Nike Sportswear’s retrofitted theater for Fight Night.  A bit flustered, I headed straight upstairs for a cold one.  But once the lights went down and the smiling faces of Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna lit up the bigscreen it all made sense again: I was back to see the highly anticipated reunion of the two stars in acclaimed writer/director Carlos Cuarón’s Rudi y Cursi. And if Flux continues their stellar job of curating Cinema Tuesdays I’ve accepted the fact that I’m doomed to happily return to the Montalbán…over and over again.

The film, if you’re wondering, definitely lives up to the hype.  Rudo y Cursi is wonderfully paced drama/comedy which manages to strike a lighthearted pose while wrestling with very serious situations.  As a whole, the movie is a very sobering story about triumph and tragedy that is refreshingly told through the humorous lives of Beto (Luna) and Tato (Bernal) Verdusco.  The two brothers are banana farm workers who get a shot at professional soccer through talent-scout Batuta.  Their rise and fall has the feel of Scarface meets a Seth Rogan movie.

In Rudo y Cursi, Carlos Cuarón provides a great story with an equally witty script.  The film is a distinctively Mexican movie with mostly Mexican actors and unabashedly exploited Mexican quirks and jokes.  This makes the movie vibrant and rich and is executed in a way that everyone can enjoy.  Gael and Diego are golden together, their clever performance reminding us of why we enjoyed Y Tu Mamá También so thoroughly.  The two tell a Romulus and Remus story with a Mexican twist, fighting not over rule but over dreams, aspirations, and motherly affection.  They are a perfect one-two punch which gives the film the character and pace that make it a winner.  Cuarón revealed during the Q&A after the screening that he had written the script with Gael and Diego in mind.  Of course; we would have it no other way.

An interesting factor to note about the film is though Rudo y Cursi uses soccer as a focal point, all soccer the actors play is off the camera.  The reason, Cuarón illuminated, was because the film wasn’t as much about the sport as it was about the characters.  Additionally, he felt it was difficult to make football interesting or dramatic enough to watch in a movie.  Instead he chose to let the viewers experience the games through the reactions of the the games’ spectators.  The effect is ingenious, as the audience is now moved to directly interact with the emotions of the spectators and literally live the game through them.  It creates a greater sense that you’re feeling the same anxieties or hopes they are at the same time.

Back to the night: the festivities started off with an exhibit from guerilla-artist Acamonchi and a live-art installation that continued until the screening started.

As always Belvedere Vodka keeping our faces warm and our cups full.

The Q&A by Carlos Cuarón after the film was an added bonus.  During this time he shared about his inspirations and touched on how producer Guillermo del Toro was actually the one who got him to start directing.  ”I felt like I was giving away my children,” he confessed, “I was always writing scripts that other people would end up directing.”  This time instead of turning the reigns over to his brother Alfonso again, Carlos decided he would write and direct Rudi y Cursi.  The product was something we cannot be upset about.

Nike Sportswear at the Montalbán consistently makes sure to reward all the attendees who sweated out long lines a few extras.  Balls signed by Gael and Diego were tossed into the audience and the customary raffle picked two contestants who competed to win a free trip to Cancun for two.

Rudo y Cursi: Hilarious, deep, and engrossing.  Definitely worth your time when it opens this weekend.

There couldn’t be a more perfect way to spend my Cinco de Mayo night.  A huge thank you to Flux and Nike Sportswear for doing it right once again.  Keep the solid picks coming.

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**First photo via actormania.com, licensed under Creative Commons**

Photo credits: Caleb Lin

This event has been wonderfully hosted by Nike Sportswear and curated by Flux.

via Caleb, 7 May 2009 10:00am | 1 |