Rudo y Cursi was an unknown quantity when I entered the theater. A Mexican film (with subtitles) about two soccer-playing brothers, Rudo y Cursi mimics an earthier, adult Hoop Dreams. But it’s not a documentary: too raw and real to be anything but fiction.
This simple film delights in the very human flaws of the two brothers and their extended family. They support each other, fight each other, and end up facing each other on the field with their futures on the line. While soccer is the thread, not much action is on screen…and that works. However, the ending cycles back to an earlier scene in a knowing way, with a nod to the harshness of the game.
67 from MetaCritic falls short of my rating, though I wouldn’t go as high as the user rating of 90. We saw this film two weeks ago, and besides Up and Star Trek, I’m not sure what else worth seeing is out there right now.