The Brilliant 'Roma' Is The Future Of Quality Films.

I finally had the opportunity to watch the new Alfonso Cuaron film, Roma, the other night and it hasn't left me since.  It's the latest masterpiece by Cuaron and it's available exclusively on Netflix.  It's sucks you in and doesn't let you go as it simmers to some of the most gut wrenching scenes I've seen in a long time.  Roma also represents the future of high quality films.  In a time where the marketplace is dominated by Superhero films, Netflix (and other streaming services) appear to be stepping in to fill the void for audiences that don't want to be pounded into submission by the latest caped escapade.

Roma is a semi-autobiographical film by Cuaron, which follows a family through the eyes of one of their servants, Cleo, (played extraordinarily by first-time actor Yalitza Aparicio) in 1970s Mexico.  Roma feels like a documentary.  The first half of the film builds its emotion as Cleo balances her work and personal life.  Cuaron doesn't waste time with wasted dialogue.  He lets his camera do the talking.  And boy, is does that camera showcase some beautiful imagery.  Shot in gorgeous black & white, Cuaron recreates the world of 1970s with precise detail.  He also lets the camera introduce us to the different members of the family that Cleo works for.  There's a wonderful scene that introduces the patriarch that only shows different angles of his car as he tries to park it in the garage.  During the first half of the film, the family is largely presented from afar.   Cuaron goes to great lengths to show the dichotomy between employee and employer.  She's overlooked by everyone in her life and yet she has a passion and strength for life that is unparalleled by the other characters in the film.

While the first half of Roma largely feels ethereal, the second half brings everything together to make Roma one of the most devastating and emotional films of the year.  There's a few scenes that I could barely watch, and yet, I couldn't turn my eyes away from.  I don't want to ruin anything for you, but there's one scene in particular that will stay with you forever.  You could tell that Roma was extremely personal for Cuaron.  Each character and scene is crafted with a tender love and care.  This world feels lived in and real in a way that Cuaron's other films haven't.

Roma will be a test for Hollywood.  Is there room for a film like it in the cinemas (where a film of its scale and beauty definitely deserves a healthy run)?  Or will more and more so-called "quality" films find a home on Netflix?  It looks like we're seeing the start of a trend here.  Martin Scorcese's return to his gangster film roots, The Irishman, is up next for Netflix.  And if Scorcese can't find a theatrical window for that, then who knows who can?

Roma is one of, if not the best films of the year.  It's beautiful, heartbreaking and will hopefully get some much-deserved awards.