Roma is the kind of movie that you hold on to for days after seeing it. Not because you are trying to analyze it or make sense of it but because it emits a sense of warmth that you want to keep close.
The movie is shaped by the childhood memories of the writer and director, Alfonso Cuarón. It is an ode to his childhood and a love letter to his nanny, “Libo”, to whom this film is dedicated.
The movie is set in the early 1970’s in the Colonia Roma district of Mexico City (hence the name “Roma”). It is centered on a domestic employee, Cleo, and the middle class family she works for. The viewer is submerged into the world of Cleo and becomes a fly on the wall observing the events of her life and the family’s life over the course of a year. When hardships occur, you see how Cleo (as well as the wife of the family she works for) overcome their situations.
I love the slow and gentle pace of this movie. It is not rushed and allows the viewer to really settle in with the characters as well as enjoy the sweeping Cinematography (also done by Cuarón).
Yalitza Aparicio is so believable in the role of Cleo. Her innocence, naivety and gentle, loving nature prove to be both her weakness and her strength.
This movie celebrates the power of the “every day”. You learn that heroes don’t always need to do heroic things, sometimes, they are just the ones that are there for us – day in and day out – providing love and stability.
One of the things I really appreciated about this film was that it didn’t follow any formulas or try to teach us any lessons – at least not overtly. But you do leave the movie with a sense of respect for every day tasks, the love of family and the power of women to prevail.
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