Critique du Library Journal

Young (b. 1963) Mexican filmmaker Inarritu, who has only directed three feature films-his fourth, Biutiful, opens later this year-is rapidly acquiring an international following. 21 Grams and Babel have given the director a reputation as a transnational artist, a figure who represents a Mexican viewpoint but funds his films internationally and deals with global themes. Deleyto (film & English literature, Univ. of Zaragoza, Spain; The Secret Life of Romantic Comedy) and Azcona (film, Univ. of Zaragoza) describe the director's early days making TV commercials, his characteristic use of multiprotagonists and "scrambled narratives," and his universal themes of loneliness and alienation. Drawing on comparisons with other areas of Latin American culture and literature and featuring a wide-ranging interview with the director, the authors attempt to discern this artist's future direction. Verdict: Although it may seem early for a book on Inarritu, the writers do an excellent job explaining why his films matter. Some readers may be put off by the scholarly approach and language, but this book should prove valuable to serious students of the current Latin American film scene.-Stephen Rees, formerly with Levittown Lib., PA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.