Thanks to my parents to my parent's LoveFilm account (ta!) I've been watching films like no one's business. I rented 'Y Tu Mama Tambien' purely because I really like saying the name, and it's meant to be pretty darn good. It definately lives up to all the hype surrounding it, but my overriding feeling was thank god I didn't watch that with my mother.
The film centres around two Mexican teenagers, Tenoch and Julio, who find themselves at a bit of a loose end after their girlfriends go travelling for the summer. In order to impress an older lady they both somewhat fancy, they say they are going on a road trip to a fictional beach called Heaven's Mouth. To their surprise, after she learns her husband has cheated on her, Luisa accepts their invitation to come along with them. So, they quickly rustle up an impromptu road trip to a beach they made up, with a perfect stranger! I shan't ruin the film for you, but let's just say things get pretty awkward after an ill-advised 'romance'...
I reckon this is one of the best 'coming of age' films I've seen yet (and lord knows I love that genre in films, books, TV shows, anything.) Fun little fact for you... 'Y Tu Mama Tambien', Wikipedia informs me, means 'Your mother too' which must be the Mexican equivalent of 'yer mam!'. The main trio of actors were pretty amazing, particularly Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna, who are tellingly best friends in real life. It bothered me throughout the film where I recognised Luisa (Maribel Verdu) from - so I'll put you out your misery and tell you, she was Mercedes in Pan's Labyrinth!
Apart from the standard 'growing up' theme, there is a political message throughout it concerning class and poverty, to add a bit of depth for all you highbrow types. And yeeees, there is a fair amount of sexy-times in this film, but it certainly ain't gratuitous as, bless 'em, the boys are all talk, no trousers. Having said that, I would whole-heartedly advise you don't watch this with kids, parents, or old people.
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