MovieChat Forums > Y tu mamá también (2001) Discussion > Was anyone else bothered by the narratio...

Was anyone else bothered by the narrations?

posted 15 years ago by cracker82
27 replies | jump to latest

Overall, I thought the movie was very good! However, the narrations let it down. For one, I didn't like how a conversation would be muted and then the narrations come in.

Second of all, the narrations often gave backstory which I thought was unnecessary to the story. So often I was like, "Why did I need to know that? I don't care that this character's mother likes to make cinnamon rolls for breakfast." (Ok, that wasn't actually said, but you get my drift)

Not everyone will agree, but I think voice overs are often a lazy way to push things forward. I'd rather see something happen between characters than for the narrator to simply say, "This is how the character was feeling, and this is what happened." It's the whole, "Show, don't tell."

Yes, some narrations were interesting, but I think they could have abandoned a lot of them. Very often I didn't really care what the narrator had to say and wanted to enjoy the moments between the characters.

Anyone else feel that way?

Very good movie, but I think the use of narrations is what stopped the movie from greatness.

[–] yodapwns 15 years ago

I thought it was very unusual that the sound was cut duting the narration, but other that that I thought the commentry was quite interesting.

[–] bdoliver11 15 years ago

My take on the commentary is that the writer was showing how there are a lot of things going on around the characters. Even if it wasn't particularly about the characters, there is still stuff going on. It was more of a way to make the landscape and the country basically another character in the movie. Cauron does that in Prisoner of Azkaban. He makes sure to show off all the scenery and made the scenery another character.

But that's just my take on it.

Because you are a character doesn't mean you have character

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] jetwhite 15 years ago

The narrations were one of the best parts of the film for me. It was all part of building a landscape, providing a reality beyond that of the main characters. In films we are led to believe that things happen up to the start of the film and once the film ends things continue. That's a given with every film. With Y Tu Mamá También, however, we're shown that things are happening *alongside* the film too. We don't just take for granted the things that happen before and after, we actually see what's going on in the world around the boys too. One shot of pigs running down a beach sparks a mini story about tens of people who became ill at a later date... You thought this information was unnecessary? I'm sorry that you only want what's given to you on a plate. I, for one, was overjoyed that the narrations let us in on what else was going in in the world the characters lived in. It constructed a backdrop that few other films have managed to create in my mind.

I make mistakes, and you just say, it's growing pains...

[–] bdoliver11 15 years ago

SPOILERS

The narrations hit me hard (in a good way). Once I found out about Luisa, what the narrator said while she was seeing the doctor hit me like a ton of bricks. And at the end when he said the two boys never saw each other again, I was just in my chair with my jaw dropped. And what the narrator said Luisa told the boys before they left her. It was so great of the director.

Because you are a character doesn't mean you have character

[–] cracker82 15 years ago

"Well, obviously the O.P. is American, as am I. Were so used to everything moving the plot foward in films that were not used to brilliant symbolism that is often used in foreign films."

I'm actually Canadian. Despite what others think, I actually do watch a lot of foreign films. I find them a refreshing change from cliched Hollywood movies, as they are usually more grounded in reality.

I still strongly believe that as much as you can, it's better to show than to tell, and I recall there were times where I would have preferred to see things actually happen than for the narrator to tell me. For examples of narrations used better, I'd point to a movie like Little Children.

But yes, the narrator does offer some interesting things to say, and some things I just didn't care about. This was not the worst case of narrations, as Vicky Christina Barcelona is an example of a narrator absolutely killing a movie. For Y Tu mama tambien, it took a bit away, but still...very good movie.

[–] Bilwick1 15 years ago

The narration is better in the director's cut, although it's a little disconcerting that it's Al Godstein, editor of SCREW, who does the English version. At the end he gets pretty carried away:

"Look, look--she's going down on them both! I mean at once! I know porn stars who won't even try 'the Double Header' but this babe looks like she could take a third in there, too! Mamacita, let me in on this! What a hooer!"

[–] Krustallos 13 years ago

Vicky Christina Barcelona is an example of a narrator absolutely killing a movie. For Y Tu mama tambien, it took a bit away

If you'd watched that many foreign films you'd know that both of the voiceovers you mention are directly inspired by French Nouvelle Vague films, most specifically "Jules et Jim" by Truffaut, but also some of Godard's (Bande a Part for instance). If you watch those you might have a better idea of where both Cuaron and Allen are coming from.

Furthermore, if you think Cuaron's voiceover is lazy or redundant I'd say you weren't paying too much attention. The narrator gives us information which cannot sensibly be shown on screen but which tells us a huge amount about the characters and context. In good films, the thing which grates or seems out of place or incomprehensible is quite often the key to the movie.

I used to want to change the world. Now I just want to leave the room with a little dignity.

[–] barlowe2003 15 years ago

I honestly began to wonder if the movie had been adapted from a novel or short story that the director had so much respect for he didn't want to deviate from it at all. While the narration filled us in on some interesting things, there were times when I felt it was obtrusive and unnecessary as well. But at the same time, I'm not sure how else the movie may have handled its ending without it. Either way, it didn't stop me from enjoying the film.

[–] BlackHawkSaber 15 years ago

I agree with you. The narration was the one downside to this movie - it was a lazy way to tell us the political/class landscape of Mexico and provided useless backstory that did not make the characters any more three dimensional. The only time I thought it was necessary was describing what Chuy's life was going to be like - a bathroom cleaner in a hotel. It was a disturbing foreshadowing of what Julio's life could be like, and that was good. Other than that, it took a few stars away from what was otherwise a great movie.

[–] mariagcavallo 15 years ago

It was a direct reference to the style of the Nouvelle Vague (France 1960s). In Bande a Part, Godard uses narrations to say the simplest, most inane things which we later find to be important. I loved the way they used it. I cannot think of another film on the planet that has succeeded in using the Nouvelle Vague style that wasn't from that time period.

[–] IEatWords 12 years ago

Wong Kar Wai and other modern Asian film makers have done it, and to greater effect, atleast for me. A couple of moments in this film, the narration just went off into pretentious land just a shade.

[–] huero1212 15 years ago

I've own this movie and have watched it five times since it came out in theatres, each of which I felt the exact same way about the voice overs as you did. I love the characters, the landscapes (I was born in California and spent many of my summers in central Mexico and I can tell you no movie has managed to capture Mexican culture like Y Tu Mama Tambien) yet I always felt that the voiceovers were a pretentious gimmick.

That was until I watched it this past weekend. I believe a great movie is one that you can return to over and over again and which will grow along with you. Granted, I was very stoned when watching it this time lol, but I think I understand what Cuaron was trying to do. Throughout the film the camera will leave the characters behind in order to focus on the land, we hear a narrative about some sort of horrible, or funny, or sad event that has happened there yet the only signs of these events happening are minor markers that have been left behind (I.e. the cross on the hillside where a man was killed in a car accident.) In essence, Cuaron is saying that life goes on, no matter what terrible events happen, the world doesn't stop to mourn for long. I think it's a beautiful message to convey when considering the character of Luisa. Life has moved on without her, yet her memory will always linger in the minds of Julio and Tenoch.

Watch it again, pay attention not only to the narration but also the camera work that accompanies it. It had been a year since I'd last watched this movie and it completely floored me all over again.

[–] Solid_Gear_Metal_Snake 15 years ago

yes at some parts where it unexpectatly cuts the sound and then it narrates. I kept thinking there was something wrong with the TV or disk.

"Always be ruled by your heart"
- Lexi Alexander

[–] cracker82 15 years ago

"Throughout the film the camera will leave the characters behind in order to focus on the land, we hear a narrative about some sort of horrible, or funny, or sad event that has happened there yet the only signs of these events happening are minor markers that have been left behind (I.e. the cross on the hillside where a man was killed in a car accident.) In essence, Cuaron is saying that life goes on, no matter what terrible events happen, the world doesn't stop to mourn for long. I think it's a beautiful message to convey when considering the character of Luisa. Life has moved on without her, yet her memory will always linger in the minds of Julio and Tenoch."

Hmm, I don't know what to say back. Very good argument from you. It's funny that you came to this realization after smoking a joint. Something about that drug...it makes you think more abstractly and notice nuances you wouldn't notice sober.

[–] Flossieandflo 15 years ago

Throughout the film the camera will leave the characters behind in order to focus on the land, we hear a narrative about some sort of horrible, or funny, or sad event that has happened there yet the only signs of these events happening are minor markers that have been left behind (I.e. the cross on the hillside where a man was killed in a car accident.) In essence, Cuaron is saying that life goes on, no matter what terrible events happen, the world doesn't stop to mourn for long.

The narration was one of the things I liked about the film, and on repeat viewings the relevance becomes clearer. I like the point made about the passing of time, and certainly death as part of life is a big theme of the film. I also think the narration is very poignant in how it emphasises how twists of fate can change peoples lives - most obviously with Luisa, Tenoch and Julio.