Drama/Mex

Drama/Mex, written and directed by Gerard Narenjo, is now playing in some theaters and also on IFC on demand. I decided to see it on IFC on Demand because it was easier and also because I heard some good things about the film. But after I saw the film I read some bad things about it and I tend to agree more with those critics.

The film tells to separate stories that overlap in a small way. Fernanda (Diana Garcia) accidentally runs into her old boyfriend Chano (Emilo Valdes). She runs away from him but he catches up with her. He rapes her but she goes along with him. She even forgives him for stealing from her father. They plan to run away together. But Fernanda feels that she must first tell her current boyfriend Gonzalo (Juan Pablo Castaneda) what is happening.

Jaime (Fernando Becerril) is an office worker who has some problems. Among other things he spits on his boss's desk. He goes home to his family and doesn't say much. He just drinks. He rents a room in a seaside hotel and tries to kill himself. He doesn't have the guts to do it. He meets a runaway teenager Tigrillo (Mariana Moro) who actually helps him.

The film shows us a side of Acapulco that we rarely see (a rather seedy side). And for that I give it points. But the characters a so poorly sketched and the plot is so underdeveloped that the film is not really worth seeing. I don't know what this film is really about and I certainly didn't care about any of the characters. It is too bad because the film is executive produced by Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna. I love Mexican cinema but this film is not one of the best efforts by our friends south of the border.