Amores Perros

Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu

(2001) - Mexico

Amores Perros is a great play on words… the title somewhat figuratively translates to “Love is a Bitch” (at least that is the title they use in the States for the movie). But it also translates to something along the lines of "love dogs”. And not only does the movie focus on love being a bitch, but also ties together three separate storylines through canines. 

This film, a former Oscar nominee, was one of those movies of the intertwined storyline era. It follows three separate characters; a homeless man, a celebrity, and a younger brother who watches a tough relationship unfold before him, all in a pretty rough urban area of Mexico. Within the first few minutes of the opening credits, we see a pretty grave car crash, a very injured dog, and a murdered man. I can’t talk too much more about the storyline without giving some major spoilers away, but it shows the lengths and distances people will go, and the turmoil people will endure all in the name of love. The movie is very real and doesn’t hold much back in terms of censorship, and it shows the nitty gritty of the real México and not just the beaches of Cancun.

One of the things I found interesting that is that one of the main characters, Octavio, talks about “getting away” to Ciudad Juarez throughout his storyline. Every time he said this, I kept thinking to myself how Ciudad Juarez is anything but a paradise. This city has consistently been ranked in the top ten most dangerous cities in the entire world, and has even taken the number one spot. This bordertown city that sits across from El Paso, Texas, is notorious for its gang violence and shares a situation found in many other Mexican cities. Even though this movie can take the viewers into an alternative world for those of us who have never been to places like this, this type of violence happens as a part of everyday life for others. 

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