This tale of two brothers seems to be a comic satire on ambition, but the laughs are desperately hard to come by.
Rudo and Cursi (2009)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:102
Fresh:74
Rotten:28
Average Rating:6.3/10
Consensus: Despite its fair share of sports movie cliches, Rudo y Cursi marks an auspicious directing debut for Carlos Cuarón, and features strong performances from García Bernal and Luna.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for pervasive language, sexual content and brief drug use.
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release:May 8, 2009 Limited
Box Office: $1,746,295
Synopsis: Beto (Diego Luna) and Tato (Gael García Bernal) Verdusco are brothers who work at a banana plantation and also play soccer for the village team. Nicknamed “Tough” because of his personality and... Beto (Diego Luna) and Tato (Gael García Bernal) Verdusco are brothers who work at a banana plantation and also play soccer for the village team. Nicknamed “Tough” because of his personality and football style, Beto dreams of becoming a professional soccer player; Tato’s dream is to be a famous singer, and both share the dream of building a house for their mother, Elvira (Dolores Heredia). They have a change in luck when “Batuta,” a soccer talent scout, discovers them accidentally. Tato is the first to move to the big city where he becomes the star goal scorer for the prestigious Deportivo Amaranto (Amaranto Club). His baroque playing style earns him the nickname of “Corny”. Although Beto feels he has been betrayed and left behind, he soon travels to Mexico City to become the goalkeeper for Atlético Nopaleros (Nopaleros Team). At the peak of glory, they forget all animosity, although it does not last long. At the very real possibility of fulfilling all of their dreams, the siblings must face an innate rivalry as well as their own demons and limitations. Beto is a gambler and allows his addiction to drag him down; Tato is unable to recognize his true talents and squanders every opportunity by pursuing a false idea of celebrity and status. The dream seems to slip through their fingers. And it is at their worst moment that the brothers find forgiveness trying o help each other while casting headlong towards their individual destiny.--© Sony Pictures Classics [More]
Starring: Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, Jessica Mas
Starring: Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, Jessica Mas
Director: Carlos Cuaron
Director: Carlos Cuaron
Screenwriter: Carlos Cuaron
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics
Reviews for Rudo and Cursi
Fame and fortune are not what they had anticipated in this well-acted fable that requires you to suspend disbelief not least because both brothers seem to be too old to be budding football stars.
Cuaron’s mixture of near farce and realism works well most of the time, though there are moments when the narration suffers from too many meaningless metaphors.
This is rarely anything more than an entertaining romp, going for belly laughs rather than satirical incisiveness.
This Spanish-language comedy-drama keeps trying to convince us it's lighter-hearted than its material would suggest.
Bernal and Luna bring the same casual and endearing spontaneity they showed in Y Tu Mama Tambien to the fore again here.
Rudo y Cursi never quite figures out what it wants to be. Is it a sports comedy? A tale of sibling rivalry? A look at Mexico's gritty underbelly, set against a soccer backdrop?
Carlos Cuaron has directed a typical rise-and-fall picture. Granted, it has loads of local flavor and two appealing leads, but it adds little to the genre and is too melodramatic to rise above.
The cinematography ranks at the top of the class. Mexico City shares the spotlight with the acting ensemble as a..
It's still nice to see an endearing sports movie that doesn't follow the "Varsity Blues" formula, even if there is no whipped cream bikini.
It’s satiric, yet Cuaron is like a boxer who prefers gentle sparring to throwing a knockout haymaker. The film needs to punch things up.
While the likable film has a vivid sense of place and a tongue-in-cheek sensibility, the visual and storytelling styles of the younger and elder Cuaron are nothing alike.
The best thing about Rudo y Cursi is that despite its relying on many of the conventions of sports movies, it still keeps us unsure about what will happen at the end.
Carlos Cuaron, Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Y Tu Mama También, makes his directorial debut with this easygoing sports movie/family drama/musical comedy/crime story.
Lackadaisically directed by Carlos Cuaron, the movie lopes along behind the characters, both of whom are unlikable and neither of whom is interesting.
Latest News for Rudo and Cursi
June 28, 2009:
Edinburgh 2009: RT's 10 Must-See Movies
The Edinburgh Film Festival has come to a close and Rotten Tomatoes thought we'd make a traditional look back over all of the films playing at this year's fest and present to... More...
June 28, 2009:
Five Favourite Films with Diego Luna
Diego Luna is bristling at RT's suggestion he pick just five favourite films. "It's really unfair to have to say only five films," he complains as he picks his final choice.... More...
June 28, 2009:
Five Favourite Films with Gael Garcia Bernal
Gael Garcia Bernal may be Mexico's best known acting export of recent years, having made a powerful debut in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Amores perros in 2000. A year later he... More...
June 26, 2009:
RT Interview: Director Carlos Cuaron on Rudo and Cursi
Brother of Children Of Men helmer Alfonso Cuaron and Oscar-nominated screenwriter of sizzling Mexican roadtripper Y Tu Mama Tambien, Carlos Cuaron makes his directorial debut... More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 68% 68% | The Last Station | 12/23 |
| 68% 68% | Sherlock Holmes | 12/25 |
| 50% 50% | It's Complicated | 12/25 |
| 49% 49% | Nine | 12/25 |
| 18% 18% | Alvin and the Chipmunk… | 12/25 |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- Rudo and Cursi at Rotten Tomatoes
- Rudo and Cursi at IGN
Fresh Links
Featured

Take a look at MSN's choices for the Top 10 films of 2009.

What were your favorites? Least favorites? The funniest and scariest? Moviefone wants to know!

Hollywood.com explores why QT's characters resonate so well with audiences.

TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!







