Roma (2004)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Adolfo Aristarain

Writers:

Adolfo Aristarain (story)
Mario Camus (screenplay)

Release Date:

1 October 2004 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Joaquín Góñez, a novelist in his sixties recalls his emotions, his wild years in Buenos Aires, the memories of old friends, the meaning of loyalty and the intimate relationship with his mother, Roma.

Plot Keywords:

1960s | Writer | 1950s

Awards:

10 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Juan Diego Botto	...	Manuel Cueto / Joaco
Susú Pecoraro	...	Roma Di Toro
José Sacristán	...	Joaquín Góñez
Agustín Garvíe	...	Joaco
Vando Villamil	...	Áteo Di Toro
Marcela Kloosterboer	...	Reneé
Maximiliano Ghione	...	Guido
Marina Glezer	...	Alicia
Gustavo Garzón	...	Joaquín father
Carla Crespo	...	Betty
Marcos Mundstock	...	Gustavo Smirnoff
Raúl Rizzo	...	Doctor Cassano
Jean Pierre Noher	...	Pando
Alberto Jiménez	...	Publisher (son)
María Galiana	...	Portera

Also Known As:

Alma de bohemio (Argentina) (working title)

Runtime:

Spain:155 min | Argentina:155 min | Spain:148 min (DVD edition)

Country:

Argentina | Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:14 | Spain:13 | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Company:

Tesela Producciones Cinematográficas

Movie Connections:

References Written on the Wind (1956)

Roma

I stumbled upon "Roma" a few nights ago on the HBO Latin channel. I seldom watch Spanish programming, but when I clicked on the program grid for some information on the film, I saw the movie's locale was Buenos Aires. My parents were portenos from Buenos Aires and I have been to Buenos Aires a few times, most recently last October, so I decided to watch.

The movie itself did not impress me. It was "ok"...a talky character study. Not a bad movie, but nothing out of the ordinary either. But...I enjoyed the movie immensely because the actors spoke just as my parents spoke, in the Argentine "porteno" dialect of Buenos Aires. It was like going back to my childhood. I speak Spanish reasonably well (but English is my "first" language) and I hear people speaking Spanish all the time at work, but they are not from Argentina. As soon as the movie started and I heard the actors speaking, I could tell is was that old familiar Argentine dialect...the cadence, the inflections, etc., are so unique. I told my sister about the movie...even though she understands little Spanish, I told her to watch or rent this movie if she could because she most likely would be transported back to our childhood as I was.

Elaine Clearwater FL