Rudo y Cursi
Rudo y Cursi follows the story of Beto, nicknamed Rudo, played by Diego Luna (The Terminal, Milk) and Tato, a.k.a. Cursi, played by Gael Garcia Bernal (The Science of Sleep, Babel). The film follows their rise to fame and fortune as soccer players, playing for opposing teams.
In the beginning, Rudo and Cursi are working as banana farmers in Mexico, enjoying soccer as nothing more than a hobby. Cursi has dreams of becoming a singer, but talent eludes him. He totes around his accordion and performs for his friends who don’t seem to mind his mediocre talent. Rudo is a compulsive gambler who insists that he has a system, but it’s one that always seems to fail him.
The two are brothers and no strangers to sibling rivalry. They are always in competition to see who can be the best or who can be the first. This rivalry is put to the ultimate test when one day they run into Baton (Guillermo Francella), an agent who has represented some of soccer’s biggest stars.
Gael Garcia Bernal has flexed his comedic muscle in other films, but in this film we see him attempt nothing else but to be funny. He succeeds, particularly in a scene where Cursi gets to make a music video. His performance isn’t lathered with nuances or subtleties. Instead, Bernal plays the character honest and simple; a good choice for an honest, simple comedy.
Diego Luna plays the jealous brother/frustrated compulsive gambler well. It’s pretty obvious that drama is his true strength, and he’s never really forced too much out of his comfort zone. He spends a lot of time playing either the envious sibling or the angry gambler who just lost his hand. It’s nothing to write home about but a good performance nonetheless.
Since the two are playing brothers, I had hoped that Luna and Bernal would have better chemistry. They play well off each other at times, but they come across more as best friends rather than the deeper, more involved relationship of brothers.
The supporting cast all play very well in their respective roles; especially Guillermo Francella as Baton. Baton’s real name is Batuta but has garnered this nickname in a way that I’ll leave for the film to explain. Baton is charismatic and suave, always with a different woman, but Francella never plays him sleazy. He’s the kind of player you want to like.
I feel that this film is very well made but may not find success amongst an English speaking audience. Not because of a lack of a good story or some other creative aspect, but because of a few technical and probably unavoidable issues.
For one, the subtitles are very fast. You may find yourself trying harder to keep up with the text rather than watching the film. Also, sometimes (perhaps just once or twice) the white text became pretty much invisible against a white background. One instance I remember specifically was a shot of the sky in which some of the subtitles disappeared into the clouds.
Rudo y Cursi is a pretty straightforward comedy but with a dramatic visual style. There are some brief moments of drama but they are kicked into play with a joke or two. The most dramatic elements involve Rudo and his gambling problem, but the emotion never weighs too heavy on the viewer.
Carlos Cuaron directs a very well executed comedy about two competitive brothers and the game of soccer. The performances are good, the writing is excellent, and the direction is superb.
