Y Tu Mamá También is a Spanish foreign language film produced in 2001 starring Gael García Bernal.
The film, which is set in Mexico, follows the story of two best friends who embark on a road trip across the country as both of their girlfriends go on a European trip of their own.
Y Tu Mamá También touches on many themes including the importance of friendship, trust and memories are to maintaining meaningful relationships.
The film explores many different types of relationships through sex, alcohol, drugs and the excitement of adventure.
The Mexican film is largely seen as the Gael García Bernal's introduction to the international film.
To this day his performance in Y Tu Mamá También is still my favourite role I've seen him take on.
Synopsis
Y Tu Mamá También's two main characters Julio and Tenoch, played by Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna respectively, who live fairly privileged lives in Mexico City.
The duo are about to start college soon and want to live out their remaining days of freedom in style.
With both of their girlfriends in Europe, the two friends meet an older woman named Luisa at a family wedding. In hopes of impressing her they conjure up a fake road trip adventure that they'll take this summer and invite her to come along. Explaining that they be heading towards the most beautiful and secluded beach in Mexico called Heaven's Mouth.
After Luisa gets into a fight with her husband, she agree's to go on the road trip with the two boys. The duo quickly make up a road trip plan and beach to go to, on the fly.
The remainder of the film follows the trio as they go on a trip of a lifetime. As Luisa harbours her own secret and tries to work out what she wants out of life, while the two friends discover what their friendship is truly based on.
Important Themes
Y Tu Mamá También translates to And Your Mother, Too in English, which alludes to the boyish banter between the two main characters.
The film touches on many themes surrounding friendships and how, as you grow older, they change.
That is something that almost everyone can relate to. Whether you are young, old, rich or poor. Everyone has made and lost friends. Some relationships become more important in comparison to others. But I suppose that is the nature of life.
Most people have a friend or two who you can fully trust. The kind of friend who has been with you ever step of the way or a friend who you treat as almost a part of your family. Someone you could openly see as your brother or sister.
But, as in life, not everything works out the way you want it to and people fall out with one another or distance themselves away from each other. Sometimes this can be very sad as you look back on memories, but again, c'est la vie.
Y Tu Mamá También does a good job at focusing on this aspect of relationships and in doing so, tells a very unique story about how things can change for better and for worse.
In the present day, it's becoming more and more normal for people to tighten their circle of friends. Whether it's after high school or college, people (myself included) tend to spend the majority of their time with a small group of friends.
Before I did some research, I thought I was rather alone in the fact that I seem to have only a couple of meaningful friendships and people who I regularly am around. But it turns out that I am the norm.
Various studies show that once you reach your mid twenties you start "loosing friends" and only really interact with a small group of friends. And it's becoming even more of a trend for people to solely spend time with their partners while only having one or two friends they regularly meet up with.
To read more about this phenomenon I'll point you to these resources:
CNN: This is the age you start loosing friends
BestLife Online: Where have all the men… gone?
GQ Magazine: We all need a buddy system
The Daily Mail: Study reveals popularity is all downhill after 25
The Boston Globe: The biggest threat facing middle-age men isn’t smoking or obesity. It’s loneliness.
Conclusion
Altogether Y Tu Mamá También is an excellent film. It is one of those classic films you have to watch before you die.
Yes, I said it. It is that good.
For me, I remember the film with such reverence. Maybe that's because I was still a teenager when I saw the film.
Maybe it's down to the acting of Gael Garcia Bernal and Deigo Luna.
Maybe it was the narrative or the adventure or because it really opened my eyes.
I'm not quite sure what it is.
But Y Tu Mamá También is one of those films that has stuck with me ever since. And I can't say anymore about how much I enjoyed the film.
Don't let the 2001 date deter you from the film.
Y Tu Mamá También is a classic. So do your self a favour and add it to your to watch list.
