ROMA Trailer

Alfonso Cuarón comes back down to earth with Roma, a patient, affecting drama.

The film follows a family in 1970s Mexico, one that is well-off enough to afford live-in maids but who aren’t immune to the cultural and political strife of the time. By all accounts Roma takes a languid look at their lives, but that’s not to say devastating events don’t occur. The trailer hints at these, but it’s definitely selling itself more as a mood piece than a plot-driven movie, which is quite the change of pace for Cuarón.

Cuarón made his name on big-budget films like Gravity and Children of Men, but you may remember the smaller films that got him those opportunities. Roma seems far more like Y Tu Mamá También than his sci-fi adventures, and this return to quieter fare will almost certainly make fans happy.

Only whetting people’s appetite is the resounding acclaim Roma has received during its festival run, which has been surprisingly extensive given that Netflix has distribution rights. The streamer seems to be emphasizing the benefits of seeing this in theaters, and they’re gambling with a theatrical release much larger than they usually give their prestige fare. Selling tickets will fall on Cuarón’s name alone, though, since crowds don’t clamor to black and white, foreign language films with a largely unknown cast (lead Yalitza Aparicio has never even acted before).

Still, with nearly everyone who’s seen it singing its praises, it seems like one that shouldn’t be missed.

Roma is directed by Alfonso Cuarón and stars Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira. It will be released on Netflix and in select theaters worldwide on December 14th, 2018.

Do you want to see Roma in theaters or at home? Let us know in the comments!