gavin6942
Two siblings rival each other inside the world of professional soccer.This film is marketed as being from the creators of "Y Tu Mama Tambien", which is not only true but very wise marketing. But let us not be fooled, this film is not on the same level, even if it looks just as good and has the same folks involved.Aspects of it are quite good, and the Cheap trick karaoke is fairly amusing. But this rivalry of two soccer players is not very compelling. In "Mama", there was another rivalry between two young men, but that seemed more powerful. This is a situation where we feel no need to care about one or the other.
Jay Harris
Carlos Cuaron both wrote the screenplay & directed this rather standard story of 2 brothers who besides caring (when not fighting) for each other , their families & most of all football. We here in the USA call it Soccer.They live & love life the way they love football. with complete intensity & devotion.There are the usual stumbling blocks in there way, but they play right through them.What makes this comic-drama stand out from the rest are its stars.GAEL GARCIA-BERNAL & DIEGO LUNAIn real life both stars are friends from childhood & both have given first rate performances in other films.They co-starred in 'Y Tu Mama Tambien' a few years back. They were superb in that & are the magnificent here.All the performances are great, the entire production first rate, Gael even sings in this & is fine.The movie is first rate entertainment, the football scenes are exciting. Story may be old fashioned but all else is fresh & new.Ratings: ***1/2 (out of 4) 93 points (out of 100) IMDb 9 (out of 10)
Jackpollins
Rudo Y Cursi is a foreign dramedy about two brothers who are competing with each other to get recognition for winning a soccer competition. It sure as hell does not have the hot-blooded passion of Y tu mamá también, but it's a great comeback for both of the stars of that. This is one of those rare sports movies that doesn't have all the sappy, maddening moments of clichés. It chooses a nice path and commits to it. It's a fast-paced, fun but ultimately forgettable film, a nice comeback for Luna and Bernal that you'll forget walking out of the theater. Yes, it won't have you talking for days, but in the theater, at the heat of the moment, you'll sure as hell enjoy it. Bernal and Luna are also both very likable, they have a certain charm, even when they're fighting with each other. The movie never takes a back turn for the worse, or even for the best, and that's what I like in it. There's a certain entertainment in watching these two go head to head. Bernal and Luna both make sparks off each other, which is definitely the most enjoyable aspect of the film. We need more movies like this these days, a fun, likable film that you don't have to remember or listen to someone else talk about because it's simply just simple, forgettable, and recommendable fun.
Suzie Park
I agree with others that I felt this only demeaned Mexicans from the pueblo as dumb people who deserve what they get. Any possible sympathy characters earned would be lost in a subsequent scene where they acted without thought, without passion. Yes, I believed that these characters were real - the actors were fantastic. But were the characters riveting? Not a bit. They were incomprehensible.As for the idea that soccer cannot be filmed - just watch the scene in Pink Panther. It's gorgeous and captivating.And I do hope that the director doesn't believe the message he seems to deliver - the well-meaning fail miserably while the drug lords always win.The film "Goal" did a much better job at showing us the world of soccer and from a thoughtful, bright lead character.Heck - even "Footballers' Wives" showed more life and soccer drama than this did.
AD
