Chicuarotes
2019 · Directed by Gael García Bernal
Original language: Spanish
- drama
- crime
The story
Cagalera and Moloteco are two teenagers from San Gregorio Atlapulco who are desperate to get out and move up and away from oppressive circumstances. When they hear of an opportunity to buy a spot in the electrician’s union, which could transform their lives, they quickly devolve into the criminal, adult underworld of Mexico City in a bid to buy their freedom.
What it’s like
Restless, sun-bleached and street-level, with handheld camera that stays close to two teenagers as they move through dusty outskirts and the crowded, noisy streets of Mexico City. The palette runs to harsh daylight, concrete greys and faded colour, and the mood is a jittery, anxious energy that slips into bursts of tenderness between the boys. Pacing is brisk and escalating, with scenes that tighten as stakes rise and then exhale into quieter stretches of waiting and talk. Its emotional register is coming-of-age unease: a grim, low-glamour take on petty crime, where ambition and loyalty pull against each other. Violence is present and can land abruptly, though it is brief rather than lingering, with some sexual content and drug and criminal activity along the way; it's not a gentle watch. It suits a late evening alone or a sober weekend afternoon for viewers who want a raw, human portrait of young men trying to escape their circumstances, and who can handle its tension and rough edges.
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