Amores Perros Reviews

[Highly rated reviewer]

Floppy Dogs

If all the dogs in the Disney film about dalmations, had been captured by Cruella De Ville, and made into a fur coat, there would still not be as many dead dogs around as there are in this movie.

This is a movie which captures and keeps your interest, as it traces back the lives of people involved in a road accident.

Each tale is a good story, and the way in which their lives cross over is skillful, thoughtful, and cleverly done.

Each of the stories are good enough to be a movie in their own right.

The only reason I gave ths movie a 4 instead of a 5 is well, to be honest, I'm a little squeamish.

Action!

This film wants you attention from the offset and keeps it throughout. The acting is excellent and the storeline wonderful. If you enjoyed 'Reservoir Dogs', you'll like this. You'll want it to go on past the ending but, to be honest, where can it go? I'm not giving away anything on this film. It's good, so just watch it!

This is no dog, I love this film

As the worlds of three dog owners literally collide, we see their very different lives unravel in this violent, sexy, stunning film. Brutally beautiful, yet full of sadness, this is a masterpiece that portrays the passion of Mexico across many of the country's economic and social divides. The twists and turns intrigue, rather than confuse. Fans of Tarrantino and The Usual Suspects should love this film. Unless you are scared by subtitles, this is a must see, if you are there is ITV Quizcall.

Doggone it, it's a masterpiece

An astonishing, bravura first work from Mexico, this three-episode movie adopts the structure of "Short Cuts" and "Magnolia" by interweaving apparently unconnected stories.

And what stories! Exploring the different levels of Mexican society, from down-and-out to middle class opulence; exploring the different manifestations of love, from mistress, to sister-in-law to daughter; exploring young hungry lust, middle-aged cradle-snatching and old-age lamentation and regret; and finally exploring the relationship between dogs and their owners.

With hints of "Traffic" in episode one, and a hilarious tribute to the surreal humour of Luis Bunuel in the tragi-comedy of episode two, this distinctive portmanteau movie has all the elements: action, violence, comedy and some deeply moving moments too.

And I don't even like dogs.

A film ultimately about our search for love, and our attempts to find meaning from suffering, this is a minor masterpiece.

Pulp Perros

"Amores Perros" is everything a cinematic experience should be: exhilirating, dramatic, poignant, thought-provoking, stylish and cool. From the opening highly-charged scene you are gripped to the edge of your seat. Full of tension and adreneline-fuelled scenes you are propelled between interlinking stories and characters, completely unaware what you will be witnessing next. The performances are all superb and the characters they are portraying seem utterly real. The film portrays a decaying, corrupt city without ever being too heavy-handed with the social commentary. The film's non-linear structure and edgy violence work brilliantly but do owe a lot to "Pulp Fiction". In fact it is difficult to imagine it would have been made without the influence of Tarantino's masterpiece. My only slight criticism is that it is a little over-length and would have had even more impact if it had been trimmed a little. Essential viewing and a truly great addition to world cinema.

harsh but moving

The film weaves together several different lives and is totally absorbing. Some of the dog fighting scenes are a little hard to watch but if the reviewer who says that dogs were 'obviously' hurt had actually watched it to the end (always a good idea before reviewing something!) he/she would have seen the statement in the closing credits that the animals used were in no way mistreated. Don't hire this if you're squeamish about dog fighting though that is not such a large part of the film. Hire this if you're sick of Hollywood happy movies and actually want to feel something..Hire it if you want to feel moved and to be absorbed in another world...

Amores Perros

Sorry. I don't do films which exploit animals. I love dogs and cannot bear any representation of them being made to fight for human enjoyment

Watched this with subtitles, get past the fear of 'reading a film' this is one of the best films I have ever seen.

3 plots, 3 relationships and one ending. The story, the acting, the photography..everything is spot on. you must enjoy this film....but thats just my opinion !

Bernal rises above this brutal yet beautiful film

The more I watch Gael Garcia Bernal, the more I believe he is truly one of the best young actors at present. Amores Perros 'Life's A Bitch' is a fantastically layered film with four individual stories centring on a horrific car crash. All four stories are completed different and all written and acted beautifully. The main story involves Octavio (Bernal) and his infatuation with his abusive brother's wife Susana. Bernal's breakthrough performance shows great depth and brilliant characterisation.

The other stories are equally as powerful. A model who life is ruined by the effects of the crash; and an ex-guerilla's struggle to live with the consequences of abandoning his family 20 years earlier.

The film is gritty and at times brutal, exposing the fraility of human morality and existing in a corrupt world. Yet it is compelling and draws the viewer into the seedy world.

Ultimately unmissable and a great advert for the acting ability of Bernal and direction of Inarritu.

I just didn't get the hype!

The critics love it, the reviewers on here love it, but I'm afraid it left me cold. I found the narrative was too broken up to be able to connect to the characters, and to me, it seemed like it was made up of the middle sections of three films clumsily stapled together, rather than one whole piece. The comparisons between the lives of dogs and humans was interesting, if not somewhat laboured. The storyline was quite slow at times (see the fluffy dog bit), although there were some interesting moments.

The direction didn't seem to 'flow' through the film either: In the first section it's a sort of violent take on Baz Luhrmann, where as by the third section, Iñárritu is verging on a parody of Pulp Fiction.

In the case of film violence, there is a fine line between getting your point across, and violence for violence's sake - This film has both feet firmly over that line!

It's redeeming feature for me, though, was the strength of the acting, particularly from the excellent Gael García Bernal - who is rightly becoming known as one of the best young actors in the world.