'ROMA' Wasn't Built in a Day

A Spectrum in Black-and-White

At the outset I would like to declare that after winning global accolades including the Golden Lion last year, the lion's share of the 91st Academy Awards belongs to 'Roma'- Alfonso Cuaron's magnum opus. The film beats other nominees squarely in major categories- direction, screenplay, cinematography, production design et al. When you have a clearly superior piece of work getting the most nominations the competition doesn't seem to be too tough this year. 

Roma is a roman-a-clef. Derived heavily from Cuaron's own childhood, the film is a repository of near-perfect images of imperfect lives spent by the Mexican upper middle class in early 1970s. At the centre of it all is Cleo- the serene, observant, gentle yet sure-footed housemaid who grapples with 'personal', 'professional', 'political' matters, dogshit, betrayals, bad omens and a devastating foetal rupture. The character is played by Yalitza Aparicio to a marvelous degree of empathy.
Heart wrenching shots of the political unrest, the earthquake in the hospital, the forest fire in the hacienda and the tidal waves from which Cleo saves her (employer's) children can be contrasted with the quiet depictions of floor-cleaning, the silent camera movements inside the house, the warmth between Fermin and Cleo in the movie theatre and the kids' interesting conversations.
Roma doesn't tackle issues, it presents them to you in an elegant manner. Whether it be race, economic inequality, gender, violence, political instability, personal torment, loss, alienation, confusion, denial and acceptance- the film has a frame dedicated to a plethora of human experiences.
Black and white colour scheme lends a strong sense of nostalgia and authenticity to the narrative. The pace of the omnipresent camera is commensurate to the palpable emotion in each scene. Cuaron's dexterity in films like 'Gravity' has illustrated his skill in the technical domain however with Roma he embraces the intangible space of the human heart and soul.
Roma gives itself completely to the passing of time. It becomes history and present at the same time. You can predict the story to a great extent, yet the twists actually hit you with sudden outbursts of shock. It's about movement- in time and space. It's like Antonio's car that cannot fit the narrow alley and the airplane that fits even the small bubbles of soapy water on the floor. Two shades for all colours.