¡Que viva México! is a satirical comedy that follows Pancho Reyes, a middle-class Mexican who returns to his small town home when his grandfather dies, only to face his greedy relatives. The film is streaming on Netflix.
Story
Pancho Reyes lives a relatively comfortable life in Mexico City with his wife and two children but when his grandfather dies, he has to return to La Prosperidad and deal with his family who he hasn’t seen for 20 years.
His grandfather leaves him his most valuable assets and Pancho’s family hangs onto him like leeches as they want a piece of the immense wealth for themselves so that they can finally live comfortable lives.
Each and every one of them is driven by greed and it comes back to bite them in the behind when they ultimately end up with nothing due to all of their infighting. However, none of them seem to learn the moral lesson in this situation that is so glaringly obvious.
Performances
There is not a single redeemable characteristic about the ensemble cast and yet, all of them have a clear resemblance to a member of the family audiences will recognize. That is a testament to the characters created for this film that have the right amount of authenticity to them.
Damián Alcázar plays three different roles in an all-round effort and he’s thoroughly enjoyable, be it the desperate everyman Rosendo, the sinful man of faith Ambrosio, and the stereotypical dirty politician Regino.
Alfonso Herrera plays Pancho, the supposed hero of the story who eventually succumbs to the chaos of the situation and turns out to be no different from his deplorable family.
Joaquín Cosío also plays multiple roles, although his performance is less impactful as he remains just another body in this ensemble.
Ana de la Reguera plays Mari, Pancho’s rich, spoiled wife who has great expressions and embodies the role perfectly as she gradually loses her mind as well.
Positives
The main theme of the film is greed, with some focus on corruption, family dysfunction, and the class divide. This story is told perfectly and has a relatable factor relevant all around the globe.
Luis Estrada has done a wonderful job directing such a big cast and deserves plaudits alongside Jaime Sampietro for the story they have written which has a brilliant message and puts it across with just the right amount of humor.
The dream sequences that Pancho often has are a particular standout as they always seem authentic until the final moment. Some of them truly succeed in pulling the rug out from under you.
Negatives
The film clocks in at a marathon of three hours and 11 minutes which is easily one longer than most movies out there and sitting through it can get a bit strenuous. It certainly needs to be taken in parts rather than one stretch.
Verdict
¡Que viva México! is an amusing political satire that shines a light on several vices and does so quite entertainingly. Despite being a considerably long film, it is still enjoyable and audiences will certainly appreciate the characters and the overall narrative that is being depicted here.
¡Que viva México!
Director: Luis Estrada
Date Created: 2023-05-11 12:30
3.5