Y tu mamá también Movie Review (2001)

A coming of age story about two carefree best friends who convince an older woman to go on a road trip to the beach with them, Y tu mamá también is beautifully shot and thought provoking.

There are some films out there that you have heard about for years, but never got around to watching. Not for any specific reason, but time got away from you or you chose to watch something else. This is one of those movies for me. The most interesting thing about this scenario is that, despite it being a 24 year old movie, I knew nothing about it except for the movie poster. It’s fascinating to me that it is a movie on so many lists and yet, no one talks about the details. Now I think I understand why.

Y tu mamá también is about Tenoch and Julio, two 17 year old best friend who spend most of their time together. They have girlfriends, go to parties, goof off, and are wholly focused on sex. When their girlfriends leave for the summer and they meet Tenoch’s cousin’s wife at his sister’s upscale wedding event, they flirt with her and invite her to go on a road trip with them to a made-up beach destination. She later agrees, and they pack up the car to set on their way.

Starring Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal as Tenoch and Julio, these boys come off as silly and unbound with no cares in the world. They sleep all day, smoke pot with friends, and spend time at the local swimming pool when it is closed, just palling around. But there is an underlying competition that exists.

Tenoch’s family is very wealthy and Julio’s is not. One is the better swimmer and each tries to have more sex than the other. It all comes off as a game, but it simmers.

The addition of Luisa (played by Maribel Verdú), who is mature, self-aware, and put together is a welcome balance. The boys come off as giddy children around her, and she understands from the beginning what their motives are, even if she doesn’t know that the destination isn’t real.

This is a slice of life story about that one summer where everything makes sense. You are sure that your best friend will always be there, will fully understand you in the same way, and you can’t imagine anything changing that. Many of us have had that friend (or friends), so there is a nostalgic feeling to experiencing this film. The “looking back on your own youth” and knowing what may lie ahead for them.

Y tu mamá también being about two sex-crazed teenagers, there is a lot of sex in the movie. It opens with a sex scene between one of the boys and his girlfriend and stays pretty consistent. And while this may be surprising for some, there is a clear dynamic displayed between mature characters’ wants and immature characters’ actions and hesitations.

One of my favorite parts of this movie is that there is a nameless narrator sharing the story. He pops in frequently to share the history or future of various characters or places as you meet them, judging no one, just providing information. It keeps the story tethered to the ground and you don’t have to rely on the characters to fully guide you. It adds significant depth.

It is a lot of fun to see both Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal as young men at the beginning of their careers in this film. They’ve both gone on to find great success, and with the free flowing shooting style plus the looseness in their characters, you’ve never seen them this way before.

Runtime: 105 minutes

Motion Picture Rating: R

Languages Spoken In The Film: Spanish with English subtitles

Should You Watch It? Yes

Did I Cry? Nope

My Rating: 3.75/5 Stars

Available: To rent on Prime Video or may be available for free on other streaming platforms