Rudo & Cursi (2008)

Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.

...........................................................from Pasto,Colombia...Via: L.A. CA., CALI, COLOMBIA...and ORLANDO, FL Most Mexican films I've seen in recent years have received a well-deserved 8*! Besides, RUDO boasts a redux of the pairing of Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna, who starred in "Y Tu Mama Tamien". Remember the great portrayals they gave in that film? The superb on-screen chemistry they exhibited? RUDO begins with the title characters as brothers;(Well, 1/2 brothers) working on a banana plantation in rural Mexico. RUDO gets off to a great start, although most of the funnier bits are rooted in the cultural regional oddities demonstrated in the congenial non-stop string of obscenities and insults the two brothers hurl at each other.I don't use subtitles in Spanish, but for those who do, I'd imagine a lot of the humor is lost, because regional cultural quirks are naturally lost in translation! As RUDO progressed, it became increasingly obvious that my expectations weren't going to be met! Like genetically engineered bananas (You know, the ones that take forever to ripen!) RUDO was picked too soon and served up green! The movie is funny and amusing at times, but could've been a lot funnier, if everybody hadn't been so strained, if they all hadn't TRIED so hard for laughs.Also, It's extremely tough to forgive the fact that RUDO's basic premise revolves around two 30ish banana ranch worker brothers, who play local soccer on weekends, suddenly becoming the best PRO-Soccer players in all of Mexico. That's a lot of suspension-of-disbelief! Don't miss Music Video: Special Features...."Las Chicas Mexicanas" try just hard enough! RUDO = 6*(Barely)...ENJOY/DISFRUTELA!?!?!?

In his debut as director someone could expect something more from Cuaron especially if we see starring Gael Garcia and Diego Luna this time as two province ingenuous brothers, amateur futbol players who are tempted for a kind of mercenary scout,played by the Argentine actor Guillermo Francella(exceptional in this role)to try their luck at Mexico City in a Professional team,the movie plays with different situations around the futbol business ,some of them very attached with the reality ,for example that the agents of the futbol players make a lot of money and become the futbol in a very expensive show, the agents have to spread some money to trainers and others in order to their player could have the opportunity to play,some of these points I guess Cuaron could be advised by Hector Gonzalez Iñarritu, Director of Mexican Futbol Federation and brother of Alejandro Gonzalez one of the producers of the film,about these facts difference others very far of the reality as futbol Players begin their career at their thirty and without experience even in amateur competition Aside these points the movie result very entertaining as the way of Garcia and Luna develop their characters although sometimes Luna overact especially his way to speak, sounds like "Ponchito" the personage of Andres Bustamante famous in TV,besides Gael make funny his perform of singer despite of his awful interpretation, a kind of parody of Valentin Elizalde,unlike others very pretentious characters that he plays in different films,the movie got a very good reward in ticket offices mostly because of its starring couple

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)

Beto and Tato are half brothers eking out a living in Southern Mexico. When we first meet them, they are at a banana plantation. Little do they know what their lives will turn out to be after they meet Batuta, an unscrupulous soccer scout, who just happens to stop at their small village in the South of the country. Batuta sees an opportunity to sell the boys, who he sees playing and show great potential, to professional teams in the capital.Tato, who becomes cursi, or a cornball, loves to sing the sugar sweet ballads and has dreams of really making it as a singer. Beto, the tough one, has a passion for gambling; Beto appears to have a knack for winning. As both guys settle into the game, they prove themselves to be assets for the different teams they play. With fame comes money and an opportunity to explore what they really wanted to do in the first place.After Tato records a video, he attracts the opportunist Maya, who sees in this man, her ticket to a better life. Unfortunately, he doesn't realize that Maya only wants to get whatever she can from this hick boy. Beto, on the other hand, falls prey of a loan shark who introduces him to a private gambling club where, after winning initially, he ends up owing his life to the ruthless people that want to collect their money no matter what.Carlos Cuaron, brother of Alfonso, comes from a family that are deeply involved in the Mexican cinema. In fact, he was part of the team behind the much better ¨Y tu mama tambien¨, directed by his brother Alfonso. This film was not exactly his first one as a director, and he could have used a lighter tone. The movie goes downhill after the somber fate the brothers suffer toward the end of the picture, which should not surprise anyone because in most cases, these unsophisticated boys become victims of their own successes.The best thing in the film are Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna. Both actors show an amazing chemistry where one compliments the other. They give excellent reading to the two peasant boys that go from rags to riches, back to rags. The next best thing is Argentine actor Guillermo Francella who as Batuta gives a surprising performance as the scout that gives the boys a taste of an unexpected life they would never have thought they could have.