Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

About seven years after the success of Y Tu Mama Tambien, writer Carlos Cuarón is trying to see if lightning strikes twice. This time, he also doubles as the director, but the big benefit here is that Rudo y Cursi has reteamed Tambien's two leads, Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna.

They play soccer-loving brothers from a little "banana town" in Mexico. The two are spotted by a sketchy talent scout (Guillermo Francella), who says he can only take one to the Capital. A penalty shot seals fate and scores Tato (Garcia) a ticket to the big show. Beto (Luna) eventually makes it as well, and sibling rivalry soon plays out on the field as the two take on the roles of Rudo and Cursi. In case you don't have your Spanish-to-English dictionary, this translates to "tough" and "corny."

Naturally, it's not all nicknames and new homes. The duo experience a lot of problems as they try to adjust to life beyond the banana fields, which includes everything from gambling and drugs to supermodels and shrimp-flavored cup-a-soup.

Rudo y Cursi is fairly predictable, but that doesn't make it any less interesting. Don't like subtitles? Well, you won't like this film. For all others, though, it's an entertaining rags-to-riches tale, mainly thanks to charming performances by its two leads.

The Picture

It's easy to get lost in this 1.78:1 transfer's scenery, even if some of it is kind of dumpy. A life of harvesting bananas does not afford a lush lifestyle, but the surroundings here are well represented and very lifelike. Fleshtones are right on and there's a lot of great detail, down to the dusty village and ill-manicured soccer field of the boys' hometown. Once the two make it to the city, though, expect a lot of bright colors, mainly from the grass and the sea of colorful soccer shirts both on and off the field.

The Sound

Most sports movies fill the surrounds with action -- at least during gameplay. Rudo y Cursi is not your typical sports movie. Sony has given this release a Spanish Dolby TrueHD track, but a lot of the sound that does pop up is drowned out by the film's music soundtrack. Most of the surround sound that isn't musical is very faint. However, during the film's climatic game, expect a more immersive experience, thanks to cheers, chants and whistles blaring. Aside from that, the dialogue is presented well, but it's also in Spanish.

The Extras

The culture and the cult of soccer are both thoroughly covered in the making-of featurette. If you can hang in with another 27 minutes of subtitles, it's a nice complementary piece for the movie, without the underlying "we're awesome!" overtones that you typically find in this sort of extra. Creative Screenwriting Magazine's Jeff Goldsmith hosts the Q&A with Carlos Cuarón, Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna. This is not in Spanish, and is an interesting hour-long look at the background of the three and pretty much everything about the film, from its title, characters and accents to the appearance of the pyramid company WonderLife.

Final Thoughts

Sibling rivalry really holds no surprises in the film world, and Rudo y Cursi is no different. However, charismatic performances by Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna and lush soccer scenery make this one worth a peek on Blu-ray.

Where to Buy:

• Rudo y Cursi on Blu-ray Disc (Amazon.com)

Product Details

• Actors: Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, Guillermo Francella, Dolores Heredia
• Director: Carlos Cuarón
• Audio/Languages: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (Spanish), Stereo (English, Spanish)
• Subtitles: English, English SDH, French
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Region: A
• Number of Discs: 1
• Rating: R
• Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: August 25, 2009
• Run Time: 102 minutes
• List Price: $34.99
• Extras:
  • Commentary with Director Carlos Cuarón and Actors Gael García Bernal & Diego Luna
  • Making of Featurette
  • Q&A with Carlos Cuarón, Gael García Bernal & Diego Luna
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Music Videos
  • Turn Off Your Cell Phone!
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Previews
  • BD-Live