Roma Review: Brilliant Guide to the Oscar-Winning Film

In 2018, Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma came in and immediately made it one of the film’s of the decade. From storylines to cinematography, this Roma review examines all the aspects of the film that you need to expect before you hit play. From the award-season hype to a friend’s suggestion, here is a Roma review that guides you through the movie’s story, acting, and why it continues to be celebrated by critics years after. Also, we will examine some things that some viewers find slow or hard, as a balanced Roma review must include both sides. When it’s all said and done, you’ll be able to determine if this black-and-white mystery is worth your watch list.

What Is Roma About?

The main character in Roma is a live-in housekeeper for a middle-class family in Colonia Roma, Mexico City. The narrative takes place over about a year (1970-1971), and based on Cuarón’s childhood experiences. As a result, the film does not seem like a production, but more like a home movie produced with great skill.

Cleo is a single mother of four, who is grappling with her own problems: an awkward relationship and an unplanned pregnancy. In the meantime, her family she works for is quietly falling apart: The father goes out on an “office trip” and doesn’t really come back. No Roma review could be complete without reference to the parallels between these two storylines and the experience of the overlap between personal and political turmoil in daily homes.

Plot Structure and Pacing (Roma Review)

The pacing of Roma is slow, its plotting is different from the usual dramas, which are characterised by sudden shifts. Many scenes are simply snap shots of regular tasks, family dinners or quiet strolls around the city streets. The experience can be meditative for some viewers and challenging for others, which is why it’s good to test their patience. But this pacing has a purpose:

The audience can make note of little details that can become significant later. An example of this is an early scene in which a family goes out for a picnic and the follow up scene where they return home. So it is here that patience is truly rewarded, and often the film can be viewed several times to see connections that were left out on the initial viewing. This Roma review advises: watch without distractions, as the story is best appreciated with careful attention.

The Exhaustive Cast That Brought Roma to Life

The first-time actress, who has no formal training, plays the role so naturally, it won her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Likewise the Marina of Tavira inflicts her own silence of devastation on the role of a wife who is trying to keep her family together. Both actors avoid melodrama and the result is a true to life, documentary style film. Also, many of the supporting actors were non-professionals from the area, which contributes to another level of realism that few films would ever have captured.

The True Star of this Roma Review is cinematography

There’s one thing the majority of reviewers would be willing to agree on about Roma: the cinematography. Cuarón also shot it in gorgeous black and white, with long, slow panning shots, and directed himself as cinematographer. Because of these long takes, a viewer must take in whole scenes and not jump from one quick cut to another.

Additionally, the monochromatic palette eliminates colors, making the design visually appealing by highlighting texture, movement and emotion. A number of scenes, such as a beach rescue which occurs near the end of the film, demonstrate a technical skill that few directors would attempt, let alone do this beautifully. This visual style earned Cuarón Best Cinematography at the Academy Awards and, let’s be honest, it really deserves the awards. This is even more true when watched on a big screen, making a good viewing setup much better.

Themes of the Roma Discussed

Under its placid exterior, Roma explores some serious subjects, which can be explored at a higher level. The heart of the story is class division, because Cleo was a domestic worker, which influenced almost all of her interactions. She has no place to call home, yet she lives in the family house; this dichotomy is one that’s woven into the film in a very subtle and nuanced way.

Gender also has a significant role as both Cleo and Sofía have to deal with life without men. Along with raising the question of what constitutes a man.Gender is also important because both women are abandoned and are forced to make their way through life without their men. Also, what is a man?

There is also some political unrest, as seen during the portrayal of the Corpus Christi massacre of 1971. This event comes out of nowhere and makes audience members aware that personal lives can never be divorced from history. It’s important to emphasize, in any comprehensive review of Roma, the masterful way Cuarón handles the themes without being preachy or heavy-handed.

This Roma Review: The Power of Setting

Much like a character throughout, Mexico City itself is an integral part of the film—no Roma review should ignore this. Cuarón rebuilt the Colonia Roma neighborhood – from the streets to the store fronts – to a remarkably exact replica of how he remembered it. This makes the setting seem real rather than set up for the camera and allows for some subtle little details to be found by those who are quite observant. Street vendors, parades and distant protests float through scenes without ever requiring attention, but they firmly planted the story in a particular place and time.

Unlike most period dramas, this one doesn’t make it easy to tell when it’s set in one period or another by the way the characters are dressed or the sets are set up. Cuarón relies on atmosphere and sound to get this done, though, and the payoff is far more convincing. The film thus immerses the viewer in the world of 70s Mexico City to a greater extent than dialogue or narration ever could.

Music that is deserving of recognition.Music worthy of recognition

In addition to the visuals, the use of sound is an unexpectedly major part of the way in which this story plays out, and cannot be ignored in any comprehensive review of Roma. So instead of having a musical score, Cuarón used ambient noise to create the film’s atmosphere. The sounds are diverse and layered, with dogs barking, vendors yelling and aircrafts flying overhead. This decision further enhances the documentary-like nature of the film, as background noise and silence are equally as important as actual speech.

The Academy also saw this accomplishment and nominated Roma for Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing. The difference in quality of headphones or speakers makes the difference in watching a movie, as certain things will come through more clearly on good devices. So if you read the above review of Roma and are thinking of watching it, you should look for decent audio as well as the screen.

Reception Awards and Awards

It wasn’t only the casual viewers that were impressed by Roma, it swept the awards shows of the entire world. The film won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, then went on to earn ten nominations at the 91st Academy Awards. It finally went on to win three Academy Awards: for Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Foreign Language Film.

It also won Best Director, Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globes and BAFTA’s Best Film. The movie has an estimated rating of 96 percent on the Rotten Tomatoes website and received a high rating from critics on Metacritic. This film is a real art triumph, and the critical acclaim from the various award bodies is testament to that. Obviously, it would be impossible to comment on this vital reception in a Roma review that did not consider the narrative.

This Roma Review identifies the following strengths

• One of the things that make Roma stand out when compared with the modern dramas is that several elements have been clearly explained in this section of the Roma review.
• Largely non-professional cast in authentic performances, which exudes believability that is not commonly seen in polished productions.
• Impressive black and white cinematography that creates visually impressive scenes from ordinary moments.
• A multi-layered narration of personal struggle and larger social or political landscape.
• Ambient city sounds are incorporated into the sound design, and Mexico City is made a character in their own right.
• Emotional restraint, because the movie relies on the audience to feel the emotions, not to be told how to.

All of these strengths are interdependent and it is this interdependence that makes Roma appear on the best-of list years after it was released.

Some common criticisms are mentioned

It is impossible to discuss the Roma in any review without dealing with legitimate criticisms as well. First, the slow pacing does turn some viewers off – particularly those who are looking for a traditional story line with a clear conflict and resolution. Second, the dialogue alternates between Spanish and Mixtec, and because of this, it is necessary to include subtitles throughout, as this may be confusing for people who are not accustomed to reading subtitles when watching movies. Third, detractors contend the narrative never brings you too close to the drama, which is the story’s own modesty, and that of Cleo as well. So, someone that looks for the ‘traditional emotional satisfaction’ may not be satisfied after the viewing.

However, the negative feedback made up only a minority and the vast majority of critics and audiences are very positive. It is also worth keeping in mind that Roma is not intended as an entertainment film; it was Cuarón’s own, almost meditative, endeavor. I think that if people adjust their expectations of what the film is going to be, then they have a lot more fun.

Also, a few critics who were unimpressed by the slow pace on the first viewing have said that they found more meaning on the second viewing. That means it is the patience of the viewer that may be the deciding factor in how much they love or hate the movie in the end, rather than simply their own tastes.

How the film Roma differs from Cuarón’s other work

It might come as a surprise to fans of Cuarón, who are used to his Gravity or Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban films, to find Roma so different in tone and in its scale. Those are the movies that are built on spectacle, tension and rapid plots, whereas Roma is more about stillness and quiet observation. But Cuarón’s trademark long takes and technical perfection are everywhere, making this a cinematic work that is connected to his oeuvre. In many respects, Roma is a return to his roots, as it is a very personal memory, and not a genre cliché. This turnaround is an incredible change, as Cuarón knows how to produce successful films in dramatically different genres.

Where to Watch Roma Today

The film was originally released through Netflix, which paid for the making of the film and provided it with a limited theatrical release. Nowadays it’s still on Netflix in almost every part of the world and can be easily accessed by all the people who read this Roma review and are curious about the film. In black and white, it is highly recommended to view it in the original format, as any colourized version would detract from its visual intention that Cuarón carefully intended. Besides this, subtitles are more accurate than dubbed sound, which helps to maintain authenticity of performances and dialogues.

Is Roma Worth Watching?

With all this Roma knowledge, it’s safe to say the answer is a resounding yes, with proviso: patience. What Roma requires is engagement, thinking, sense-making, sitting with unfinished moments. Its characters, technical excellence, and social criticism will appeal to viewers who enjoy that kind of movie. Then again, if you’re looking for action, you may want to set your expectations low. However, Roma is still a major success of contemporary cinema and every year the influence of this film increases on the creative work of filmmakers.

The film has had an impact on several subsequent directors, with their films citing Cuarón’s use of long takes and ambient noise. If one is developing a personal list of must-sees in modern dramas, this Roma review is essential reading and a good indicator to treat the film with respect and watch with fewer distractions around.

Frequently Asked Questions FAQs

Q1: Is Roma based on a true story?

Yes, the film draws heavily from Alfonso Cuarón’s own childhood memories growing up in Mexico City during the early 1970s.

Q2: Why is Roma filmed in black and white?

Cuarón chose black-and-white cinematography to strip away distraction and focus attention on texture, movement, and emotional detail instead.

Q3: What language is spoken in Roma?

Characters speak primarily Spanish, with some dialogue in Mixtec, an indigenous language spoken by Cleo and other domestic workers.

Q4: Did Roma win an Oscar for Best Picture?

No, it was nominated for Best Picture but won three Oscars instead, including Best Director and Best Cinematography.

Q5: Is Roma appropriate for all audiences?

The film contains mature themes, brief nudity, and intense scenes, so it suits mature or older teenage viewers rather than young children.

Q6: How long is Roma?

The film runs approximately 135 minutes, or two hours and fifteen minutes, without any intermission.

Q7: Where can I stream Roma?

Roma remains available on Netflix in most countries, since the streaming platform originally financed and distributed the film.