Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Rudo y Cursi Blu-ray Movie Review

A fine example of wonderful filmmaking arrives on Blu-ray with a satisfactory technical presentation.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 22, 2009

The most beautiful game ever invented began with the severed head of a soldier.

Sony Pictures Classics is on a roll right now with a fantastic trio of sports-themed Blu-ray releases that focus more on the hardships of life in sports rather than the superficial glamour and glory that most fans associate with the ascension to the top of the professional sports world. Tyson, Director James Toback's spellbinding yet simply-structured documentary, chronicles the life and times of former heavyweight boxer "Iron" Mike Tyson in the champ's own words. Sugar, a superbly-crafted and brutally honest look at the life of a young Dominican pitcher struggling to find his way in the United States, professional baseball, and life, is perhaps the most poignant of the three. Finally, Carlos Cuarón's Rudo y Cursi tells the story of two brothers who make it big in the world of professional soccer and the difficulties they face under the unforgiving microscope of stardom. Rudo y Cursi is the lightest of the three but no less hard-hitting in its thorough and thoroughly entertaining glimpse into the vicious world of sports. A human drama with plenty of laughs along the way and culminated by a deliciously tense finale, Rudo y Cursi is another gem from Sony and a worthy title for the "Classic" banner.

To the right...or to the left?

Brothers Tato (Gael García Bernal) and Beto (Diego Luna) live and work in a small town where banana growing and familial arguing define most everyone's existence. When they're not working on the banana plantation, the brothers enjoy playing soccer on a local dirt field. On their way to a match one day, they stumble across a man named Batuta (Guillermo Francella) who finds himself impressed with their talent -- but can only take one of them back to Mexico City for a tryout for a spot on a professional roster. The brothers decide to settle the matter on a penalty kick -- Beto's a goalkeeper and Tato's a striker -- and Beto tries to influence his brother to kick it where he can stop it. After all, Tato's got his heart set on a singing career and Beto should be the one given the chance to star in the pros. Of course, things don't go as planned, and Tato scores his way to the city and earns a roster spot on a team. Weeks later, a jealous Beto is given his chance at the insistence of his brother. Both brothers make it big, becoming sensations in the sport, but with their performance on the field comes a world of temptation that threatens to ruin their friendship, their careers, and their lives.

A fairly original and highly entertaining romp into the worlds of professional sports and sibling rivalry, there's not much out there that offers up a similar tone to Rudo y Cursi. Bride Wars fits in a way, substituting best friends for relatives, but even that's far more shallow and not nearly as well-done as Rudo y Cursi. With Rudo y Cursi, and as is the case with most well-done Human Dramas, the primary plot line -- in this case the brothers' foray into the world of Mexican professional soccer -- is but a backdrop for the real story that unfolds throughout the course of the movie. Rudo y Cursi expertly blends sports action, laughs, tears, and everything in between into a tale that begins simply enough but turns far more complex than either the characters and, perhaps even the audience, could have imagined. Although the film is structured around both soccer and plenty of humor, it's the tale of the rise to stardom and the temptations that surround the golden road to the top of the professional sports landscape that truly defines the movie and lends to it a poignancy that's hard to shake when the credits roll. The brothers revel in the highs of new houses, big cars, easy women, and lucrative business opportunities, but must also cope with the vices and struggles that inevitably infiltrate high society: drugs, gambling, violence, and broken relationships. Captivating from beginning to end, Rudo y Cursi is the sort of film that only gets better with every passing moment, a testament to the script and its first-rate cast and crew.

Penned by Director Carlos Cuarón, Rudo y Cursi sets up a fantastic third act that's the very definition of "edge of your seat" filmmaking. Capturing both the excitement of sport and fleshing out the details of several crucial events leading up to the dramatic final match, there's no shortage of tension in the air as Beto and Tato square off on the field, each with their own baggage in tow and, more importantly, their futures both on and off the field on the line. It's drama at its very best and the film is helped tremendously by Cuarón's handling of both the scriptwriting and directorial duties; there's never a disconnect between the script and the screen, and Rudo y Cursi gels incredibly well. Also a tremendous strength are the performances, particularly from the actors portraying the title characters. Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna are fantastic as "Rudo" the goalkeeper and "Cursi" the striker, respectively. Their interactions are natural and believable, and each plays their character with a striking dichotomy of outward strength in their abilities and confidence in their own skin but with a deeper vulnerability that slowly but surely comes to the surface as the movie progresses and they become more disconnected from their roots, talent, and drive that got them to the top.

Rudo y Cursi Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Rudo y Cursi arrives on Blu-ray with a fair 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer. Although the image appears somewhat soft and dull on the whole, it's rather good nevertheless, exhibiting a fairly stable color palette, with the film's exterior scenes serving up a mostly eye-popping selection, particularly in the early scenes on the banana plantation. Not only does the green vegetation and the brown dirt stand out nicely, but detail appears rather high, too, as seen in the leaves, the rigid tree trunks, and the pebbles and dirt that make up the road. As the film moves along, darker interior shots don't jump off the screen quite like the outdoor shots, appearing rather drab and only moderately detailed. The transfer features a rather subtle layer of grain throughout, and there is no print damage evident. Black levels don't suffer greatly, and flesh tones take on a fair but perhaps slightly red tint. Rudo y Cursi doesn't look bad, but it's not exactly the most brilliant image Blu-ray has ever seen, either.

Rudo y Cursi Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This Blu-ray release of Rudo y Cursi features a solid Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack with only a Spanish-language option but English and French subtitles. From the get-go, a rather strong atmosphere is present throughout. Listeners will hear buzzing insects, meowing cats, or television programming in the background, and none of it ever competes with the dialogue for the most prominent element of the track. For the most part, there's a continuous sense of immersion into the mix. Though much of the film is dialogue-centric, there are several very good moments throughout where the track is able to fully showcase all it has to offer. For instance, a brief scene of a horse race in chapter eight does well to fill the soundstage with the smacking of beating hooves, the effect accompanied by a rather robust low end. The final soccer match represents the sonic highlight of the track. Raucous crowds cheer on their favorite teams and players, with screams, music, and other effects pouring from every speaker to completely immerse the listener in the moment. Whether during the film's more contemplative and quieter moments or during a robust soccer game, Rudo y Cursi delivers a very good listening experience.

Rudo y Cursi Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Rudo y Cursi features several extras, chief among them a commentary track with Director Carlos Cuarón and Actors Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna. This is a wonderful track that's easily digestible and a blast to listen to if only for the back-and-forth banter that sees the actors in-character and switching between Spanish and the occasional string of broken English. It's a far cry from the usual dry commentaries and provides a refreshing reprieve from the doldrums of that standard-fare offering. English subtitles are provided. Making-of Featurette (480p, 26:51) is another good piece that briefly takes viewers into to the moviemaking process, beginning with a few words before the first day of work and moving through the process of assembling some of the film's more crucial segments. The piece is supported by plenty of behind-the-scenes video segments and interview clips with the cast and crew. Q&A with Carlos Cuarón, Gael García Bernal & Diego Luna (1080i, 1:11:32) is an extended piece where the trio answers a series of questions about the film and their careers. The piece is hosted by Jeff Goldsmith, Senior Editor for Creative Screenwriting Magazine. Next up is a collection of six deleted scenes (480p, 4:45), followed by a trio of music videos: "I Want You to Want Me" by Gael García Bernal (480p, 2:54), "Rudo y Cursi" by Juana Molina (480p, 3:53), and the karaoke version of "I Want You to Want Me" (480p, 2:47). Also included is Turn Off Your Cell Phone! (480p, 1:09), a Rudo y Cursi-inspired short advertisement for theater courtesy; BD-Live functionality; and 1080p trailers for Rudo y Cursi, Coco Before Chanel, It Might Get Loud, Tyson, and Sugar.

Rudo y Cursi Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Rudo y Cursi is a complete movie that offers a great story that's composed of humor, drama, action, and tragedy. The film pulls viewers in several directions, but it never allows one single aspect to dominate the flow. Well-written, superbly shot, and expertly acted, Rudo y Cursi superbly rounds out Sony's trio of fantastic sports titles under their "Classic" banner. The Blu-ray release of Rudo y Cursi falls in line with the average quality of release viewers have come to expect from the studio. That means the disc sports an above-average transfer, a strong lossless soundtrack, and a decent selection of extras. Rudo y Cursi earns a solid recommendation.