Customer Reviews

Amores perros

5 star:		(139)
4 star:		(37)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I've recently gone on a foreign language film binge, and this one settles with the cream, near the very top. Plot wise, there are three stories that interconnect on the basis of a big car accident, and each revolves around dogs and their owners. The first piece is about a guy who lusts after his older brother's wife while also making big money in dog fights. The older brother gets more and more angry while at the same time the younger brother has made an enemy at his side job. The second story is about a middle aged man in the magazine industry who leaves his family and moves in with a beautiful model. Things get hectic when her lovable ball of fluff disappears beneath a hole in the floor and won't come out. The final tale is about an ex-professor turned radical turned nearly pennyless hitman who wanders the streets with his group of trustworthy dogs. Things change for him when he unknowgly nurses a very dangerous mutt back to health. Now, these stories may not sound intrigiuing at first, but the strengths lie in the tone, cinematography, acting, and atmosphere. Give it a chance, and I think everyone can take something positive from the experience. Of course, this takes us to the WARNING: THIS FILM CONTAINS BLOODY IMAGES OF DOG FIGHTING. The question is, can you handle this sort of thing? I was prepared, and it wasn't as bad as I thought, but if you go in expecting Fido and Lassie frolicking in the hills at sunset, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise. In the form of mauled carcasses. Yep, quite nasty. But consider the fact that the animals were trained and not harmed, and that the rest of the movie is excellent, and you should be able to bear it. Also, this film has many levels, and warrants repeated viewing, thus making it a quality purchase. BUT--because of the dog fights, I can't just flat out recommend that everyone buys it on a whim. If you're not sure, RENT IT FIRST. Otherwise, it's a guranteed positive experience.

Any of those who would dismiss this movie for its allegedly senseless violence or because they feel it's a pale imitation of Pulp Fiction simply do not understand Mexican culture. Violence, verbal or physical, proliferates in Mexican culture; I think many of the reviewers (mostly overly sensitive gringos, I would gather) who are uncomfortable with this movie would probably be equally uncomfortable with the Mexican view of life inherited from the Spaniards--i.e., the fatalism, the grim resignation to the frequent ugliness and brutality of life, and a sort of crude vivacity. Pienso que estas personas que no les gusta México no tienen cojones. But then again, most people want illusion not reality at the movies, which brings up the next point.

As for the Pulp Fiction charge, this movie bears about as much relation to that movie as Picasso, in his early, rough stage, does to Andy Warhol's soup cans. In Amores Perros, the violence, and, hence, the feeling, is real; in Pulp Fiction, it's trendy posing. We cringe at the gore and we giggle at the jokes, then we forget the whole pop culture soufflé Tarantino has served up. The people in Amores Perros are blood and guts--crude, yes, and occassionally ugly, but there's no doubt they're the real thing. Quentin Tarantino has never delved this deeply.

I give this movie four stars instead of five because it's still at times subject to a youthful impetuousness that fits the first story beautifully but not the other two. It's not quite great, but it's still mighty impressive. And the middle story about the model losing her leg and enduring a romantic crisis with her lover is in the end rather tiresome--it's undeniably felt by the actors, but it seems like tawdry bourgeois angst or an episode from a melodramatic telenovela next to the urban blight and horrors of the first and third stories.

I do not get to see a lot of foreign films, but this one seemed interesting enough. As with many other people, I heard it was a Mexican version of Pulp Fiction. Yes, the structure is the same, the violent content similar, both casts were engaging. But for some reason, this movie worked even better.

Amores Perros is set is a rather bleak and desperate slums of Mexico, where, as with all other third world countries, despair seems to be in the oxygen. Somehow, these three stories intertwine in one fateful moment. And dogs, truly man's best friend, were all there to witness it.

The dogs in the movie serve as counterpoints to the people. In more ways than one, the dogs are, despite hunger and ticks, seem to have more fulfilling lives than the people. Whether it be money, power, passion or a fit of rage, the people here, somehow, cannot seem to control themselves, and what would have been made better is now infinitely worse.

This is a kinetic movie. It is so good you forget you are watching a film. The acting is at its most natural and effortless. If this is the state of Mexican cinema, it is in pretty darn good shape. Hope other people can come up with equally provoking films.

the story of a street smart working class boy who falls in love with his brother's wife, a successful fashion model who's having an affair with a married businessman, and a lonely vagrant who wants to contact a daughter he hasn't seen in years. These three characters never interact with each other and their stories are only connected through a terrible car crash that changes their lives for ever. The only thing these people have in common is that they own dogs, and their relationships with their pets are as telling as their relationships with other humans. The film moves from the luxury flats to the slums of Mexico City, demonstrating that human passions have little to do with social and economic circumstances. This is an extremely disturbing and violent film, but it never feels excessive or exploitative. Violence is depicted as ugly and pointless, sometimes fortuitous but never cool or glamorous, and it makes people and animals suffer unnecessarily.

Alejandro González Iñárritu's film is destined to become a classic, it does for contemporary Mexico City (or any other large Latin American city) what Taxi Driver did for mid 70's New York. A solid script, inventive and hyper realistic direction, perfectly timed editing and brilliant performances make Love's a Bitch and extraordinary film, a perfect example of how visceral and moving cinema can really be. This is an intelligent and thought provoking movie that will surely be appreciated by anyone who has grown tired of the seemingly endless flow of escapist offerings released every week.

Finally, dog lovers like myself will be reassured to know that this DVD features a short on how the dog actors were trained and looked after and didn't get hurt or mistreated in any way.

All I want to say is that i tire of everyone comparing this to Pulp Fiction soley based on the notion that it connects dissimiliar lives by one tragic event. I find nothing in common with hip,psuedo-mod hipster dialogue based on cruddy seventies films, with a movie that portrays the harshness of everyday Mexican life. This film explores love in its most harrowing and obsessed forms, Pulp Fiction does not. This film is always very realistic and dramatic. Pulp Fiction, again, is not. I try not to assume anything about anyone, but I'd reckon most of the people who compare this film to Pulp Fiction haven't seen the loads of other films that connect dissimiiar lives by one single event. It has been a common way of exploring lives in film format for some time. And putting that aside, the content of the film has nothing to do with Pulp Fiction. I'd also assume, again reluctantly, that many of the people who reviewed this as comparable to Pulp Fiction have not done much serious reading on Mexican culture. The only reason I am even stating my opinion is because if I had not already seen this film and came here to read reviews to see if it was worth buying I would probally lose interest based on the fact everyone compares it to Pulp Fiction. To compare these films is a dishonor to both , especially for the fact that this is one of the first high quality films that takes palce in Mexico I have seen in ages. Anyways, check out this movie if you are a fan of graphic film with an intense underlying message of deep love and its fragility told through the eyes of many and not few, and also if you are interested in seeing what most of urban mexico is really like.

If you are bored with high-budget holywood crap and you are looking for a fine urban tale with real people in a real city, then you should see Amores Perros. This is the first masterpiece of Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu, but this film has its seal from previous productions for radio and other media work. Definetely it is worth the ticket and of course the DVD when the time comes. I believe that el Chivo's Tale is the best one because it is about get even with the past. If after you have seen amores perros you are not convinced that the Academy owes it an Oscar, then watch Crouching Tiger for a poor imitation of matrix where pseudo-art movies meet old chinese martial arts movies. Anyway love is a bitch and so is the Academy.

I believe this was the best film of the year... wonderful cinematography, acting, and storyline. I am glad the academy recognized it by nominating it for best foreign picture. I really enjoyed it, and will definitely own it on DVD. I agree with all the praise it has gotten... it is well deserved, and as a Mexican I am glad to see that this artwork was recognized by people around the world.
I feel the negative reviews I heard are unjustified. Many of the negative reviews I read were in regards to the violent content of the movie. It surprises me the way some people think... many animal activists actually believed that dogs were harmed on this film. I am not sure if this was a complement to the gritty realism of the film (but, hey, I saw Saving Private Ryan and never believed for a second anyone was actually shot on Omaha beach in order to film it), or if it is due to a sort of bias towards a country like Mexico (heck, those third world countries have no laws against those types of brutalities). Well, the extras on the DVD put those doubts to rest... check it out.
By the way, the soundtrack is excellent... I own it and play it often.

Sharp, impressive and GRITTY! No stone left unturned. Unabashedly raw and real.

Amores Perros depicts the intensity of human desires, and how impassioned we become in our pursuit of gratification: The choices ultimately made in life for better or worse. Every move the characters make is a risk, but a choice made with THEM at the helm. Their life out of control is really about their enacting choices and feeling empowered by their actions, and ultimately in control.

The film is at times gruesome, and admittedly, in tone -depressing. In fact, similarly characteristic of a Willem de Kooning work: violent, expressive, imbued w/passion. However, in scope the film is a refreshingly liberating experience, a celebration of man's free will. "Su libre albedrio." For that I laud "Amores Perros." The film in its rawness, like de Kooning, sets free our caged emotions and henceforth the human spirit.

As you may or may not assume, I am a common frequenter of my videostore. I have spent a lot of time browsing the isles; fishing through the often mediocre selection of film, looking to find the perfect poison for killing 90 to 120 minutes of a summer afternoon. As I spend a lot of time here, I've come to notice a few things about the goings on of the place. One of the more important things I've noticed is that the New Releases section seems to have it's own set of seasons. There are times when good movies are as abundent as freckles on a stereotypical Irishman. However, the seasons do change, and then there is a long drought, with dustballs like 'The Real Cancun' and 'The Guru' rolling about the arid plains of New Releases. When this film "drought" occurs, I spring into action and head down to the Foreign section, for it's dawned on me that since only the better of the foreign stock make it to the States, I'll always be in for a decent (at worst) film. But enough of my drawn out, pseudo-professional anecdote. The point is: I went to the foreign section, rented Amores Perros, and watched one of the best movies of the past twenty years.
This movie ranks up right alongside Pulp Fiction in great films of the new generation of directors. The script is a strong one: combining an excellent story (three stories interwoven, but that makes it all the better) and authentic dialogue--a real treat for those who look beyond eye candy. However, the cinematography is just as powerful as the script, combining quick, fast shots, jumps, and long stills to a dazzling effect. The acting too, is wonderful. It's believable, and professional--all that's needed for a great movie. This is indeed a great movie. I don't like wasting words on plotline, because it just spoils the film, so I will just say this: watch the movie and it will take you in. It's completely emersing, and although it runs a little overtime (150 minutes or so), the lag isn't really noticable, as everything is so engaging. The worst crime that a director can perpetrate is to make an incomplete film for sake of time. We have a long film, but a complete film. You leave feeling satisfied, not wanting more.
This film is excellent, and anyone who appreciates film can tell you this. Do not take the time to read the childish rants of 1-star reviewers, for they are all essentially the same. Allow me to paraphrase their worthless tirades: "They hurt dogs. I love my puppies and I was offended. I mean, think of the dogs! All those poor dogs! If I think of poor Rufus in those dog fights, oooh my little schnookims! PS: it was a little long." Look, as the good man from Mexico says on this site: the world is not the "smiles and sunshine" atmosphere of suburban Arizona. People do this, and it's shedding light on an ugly practice. If anything, it's making us more aware of the horrors of dog fighting. Do not give this movie a bad review if you're too squemish, because then you're not judging the movie, you're judging your tolerance factor, and therefor your opinions are not valid, at all. My family owns a dog. I love him very much. Is it slightly disturbing to watch the dogfights? Yes. But that doesn't make the movie any less brilliant.

Watch this movie if you want to see something new and original. It will leave you amazed.

This was the best movie of 2000 and it is a farce that "Crouching Tiger" took the Oscar for best foreign film. This film is a tightly woven and moving portrait of how three seemingly seperate lives are connected by a terrible car accident. While often violent and brutal, especially in regards to the dog fighting scenes, this movie is beautifully filmed and the director does not waste a frame. It is easily one of my favorite films of the last several years and I recommend it to those who enjoy intense, thought-provoking films. Doesn't get any better than this. Gael Garcia (also seen in the recent film "Y tu mama tambien") is fabulous and there are several other impressive supporting performances.