My love letter to "Y tu Mama Tambien"

I got this idea to write letters to movies from my favorite cartoon character, Homer Simpson.

Dear "Y tu Mama Tambien",

You are easily in my top ten list for favorite movies ever. Do you know why? Because you get it. You're funny, heartbreaking, relevant, but above all you're honest about issues we all take for granted. The issues I talk about are things that affects us everyday, things that we want to say but don't, or the injustices going on around us but ignore.

The most obvious thing people notice about the movies are the shocking sex scenes. Most other movies use sex as a gimmick to entice 14 year old boys to sneak into the theater (not unlike making movie in 3D), however you realize that sex is more than just a gimmick...it's something that two people need to feel alive... they can live in sin or spend the night all alone. You realize that there is weight behind the act and it effects everyone around you whether they want to admit it or not. The actors bear their souls on the screen and reduce themselves to the instinctual animals we all turn into when we are in the act.



The friendship between the two boys in the movie does not fit any focus group's or (God forbid) reality show's ideology of how teenage friends act. It's just two gifted actors portraying how two people from two different socioeconomic statuses have the same needs: to have fun and enjoy their ever fleeting youth. When the older woman agrees to take a road trip with them, the boys can't believe it and neither do we. Instead of giving the older woman a stupid cliche personality, you gave her motivation and a reason to be vulnerable. We see why she wants to leave her life, she feels trapped like a lot of people do and is trying to find a way out. Actress Maribel Verdu portrays this woman's intentions shockingly and without hesitation, something you rarely see actors do lately.

But the sex is probably the only thing people are going to notice if they watch it absent mindedly. You touch up on a lot of social issues in Mexico. Instead of waving signs or using painfully obvious allegories, societal problems are shown in a very subtle manner during the silences in your soundtrack and while the characters are contemplating their fate and the ones of those they care about.




Other movies tend to beat the audience over the head with social issues (like in District 9 or Crash) and give patronizing morals. Instead you use pertinent Mexican issues as a template from which you can explain the destinies of all the characters involved in your story. This is very clever on your part, because it lets the audience decide whether or not to focus on the story or the beautifully shot, yet horrifically depressing surroundings. You offer no solutions because you realize there are very few and the characters are only human.

The twist at the your end came as a shock but it was not senseless as good twists should be. I hope that as time goes on more people watch you and appreciate how intelligent and beautiful you are.

Sincerely,
Adam Saleh