Things have been quiet, at least in the US, when it comes to everyone's favorite Mexican Gael García Bernal. In 2008 he gave an against-type performance in Blindness (my review) but the film didn't catch. 2009 should be a better year for Bernal fans. It's already a great year for Bernal himself. He just became a father. His girlfriend, actress Dolores Fonzi (pictured left) gave birth to a baby boy last Thursday who they named Lazaro [src]Congratulations to the couple!
We don't generally cover birth notices at The Film Experience so we're here to talk about another couple. The reason we're thinking of Bernal this morning (does one need a reason?) is that Sony Pictures Classics just picked up distribution rights to Rudo Y Cursi which is the first onscreen reunion of the Y Tu Mamá También boys. Diego Luna has been higher profile this winter. He's recently snagged a SAG nomination (Best Ensemble) for Gus Van Sant's Milk.
photo from Gael fan
Their new film together is directed by Carlos Cuarón (yes, that's Alfonso's brother who co-wrote Y Tu Mamá) and will be playing at the Sundance Film Festival this month. Can't wait to see these two together again. Apparently Mexican audiences felt the same and the film is already a smash there.
Here's a little about the plot from the press release.
That's a lot of words but all I'm hearing is that this film contains no makeout session between Gael & Diego.Tato (Gael García Bernal) and Beto (Diego Luna), two brothers living a hard life of manual labor in rural Mexico, have a simple dream of saving enough money to build their mother her dream house. But fate has other plans; a friendly game of soccer leads to first one, then the other being taken on by the nation’s top talent scout, Batuta, and gives rise to the first of many emotional head to heads between brothers. Suddenly, they find themselves living the high life of star athletes—fame, riches, fast cars, and beautiful women. But every dream has a dark side, and when they are forced to compete on rival teams, bitterness brews between them. Mutual trust gives way to resentment and betrayal, while the dangers of their wild new lifestyles threaten debt and the safety of their entire family. In the end, all will ride on the one big game between their two clubs. Tato and Beto must face each other on the pitch but also reunite again as brothers before they lose everything they had once dreamed of.
Regardless, I'm still there when it opens. Every time I think Gael couldn't be any more loveable as a movie star he ups the adorability somehow (Es esto posible? no se) Here's his version of Cheap Trick's "I Want You To Want Me" from Rudo Y Cursi
If we could transport Gael in full cowboy gear over back in time into Madonna's "Don't Tell Me" video my life might finally be complete. Double my pleasure. Now that I've mentioned it it's out there in the ether and someone will surely comply.
But maybe there's no point trying to top Madonna mixed with Brokeback Mountain which has perhaps already cornered the market on orgasmic gay C&W movie/pop collision?
How did this post become about Madonna? It's a sickness.
more Gael gawking:
Gael's first HDH appearance (06)
Top 5 Actors of the Aughts (06... and yes, I will be revising this list in some form this year)
Bad Education (04) TFE top ten list
Y Tu Mamá También (02) TFE Best Picture Nominee
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