¡Que viva México! (2023) User Reviews

Far too long

[cobo-3 · 5/10 · 27 March 2023]

This is a 3+ hour "comedy". I don't have any idea how something like this could happen from a studio like Sony. There is no way to make a comedy funny and fun that is that long.

The worst part, is that most of that runtime could have been easily trimmed. The first hour is wasted in presenting characters and situations that have not much importance later on.

So, the story is very basic. A city man goes back to his childhood town for his grandfather's funeral and reading of his testament. In the will, his grandfather leaves all his valuable assets to him, to the chagrin of his very big family. This is the set up of the movie, this is where the story begins. This moments happens 1 hour 30 minutes into the movie (I know, because I was checking my watch constantly 30 minutes in).

The rest of the movie you have seen in countless others like Greedy (1994), where all relatives fight each other to get what they think is their fair share.

It could have been a fun silly comedy had it just focused on the funny bits, but it somehow gets lost in super long sequences and presenting dozens of characters that do nothing but just being presented.

A movie to avoid, for sure. But maybe we might eventually get the "Non Director's Cut", that puts this at 90 minutes, and maybe that would be a watchable funny movie.

An acid portrait of Mexicana

[saenz-raul · 5/10 · 26 March 2023]

Each character in the movie is a symbol, an avatar of the many aspects of Mexico and it's people.

It feels like a dream, like a nightmare.

It uses cartoonish characters to make a point.

I don't think foreign audiences would be able to enjoy this movie as the language used and the symbols will be lost in translation.

Mexicans on the other hand will understand even tiny cameos of things and people in the movie.

This is not a subtle movie in any terms. Its very much in your face and it's better understood as satire.

I would like the director to make a movie about southeast Mexico, with actors from the area.

The devil's biggest trick is to make us believe that it does not exist": Baudelaire

[tillettrenart-800804 · 5/10 · 18 May 2023]

Behind all the false victimhood that Estrada programmed to promote his pamphlet, to generate morbidity and thus aspire to achieve what the war pamphlet TOP GUN: MAVERICK did achieve (get people back to the theaters), you will find the same Mexican devil, trying to make us believe that the PRI does not exist inside the 4T, and that Andrés - who was a civil servant in De la Madrid's term - and his disguised PRI/PAN/PRD dinosaur buddies are nothing but a purified product. When in fact the biggest achievement so far inside the 4T, is the economical experiment by PAN/MORENA's brilliant former Economy Secretary Tatiana Clouthier. The super peso and Gasoline controled price, prove the Economy's Evolution. Well, Estrada missed the opportunity to talk about this evolution, instead of making the same jokes that reinforce stereotypes.

So many years betting on those devils, has the consequence that the Estrada ritualistic chiles/churros have gone bad, and no longer fit in the Mexicans that survive south of the Rio Grande: us who resist going to the US as gardeners/domestic workers/nannies, or have already been there, done that; us who will not sell our property so the Real Estate Cartel + AIRBNB + the usual bad guys, disguised as 4T purified products, have any profit on our watch; us who do not receive "maiceadas" from the US Embassy, or "remesas" from the Mojados, which have emboldened US Embassy AND Mojados alike to believe that they are the new owners of Mexico. Could that be the audience Estrada is talking to, US Diplomats and Mojados, so that they proceed sending their "maiceadas" and "remesas"? That would explain the disconnection between the audience and the pamphlet. Estrada's next movie could be the reaction to this movie, I bet it would be much more fun. But something tells me Estrada's sport is not about evolution. More than an Artist, he is an Artesano: 1 product with lots of copies. Just what happens in Politics vs. An Artist that makes every piece unique. The current president that Estrada/Alcázar have programmed the audience to love since LA LEY DE HERODES, doesn't believe in Cinema, but hey: it's all about the Economy.

The jokes about the 4T ("para caer bien") are well thought. I suppose Estrada has already seen where the tendency will continue, and when the day comes when he is asked of the future scandals inside the 4T, he will be able to present his pamphlet, because its biggest achievement is to second the motion started by Violeta Nuñez, regarding Canada owning so much land that goes undeclared in maps. Estrada used to be the radiographist of Mexico, and now he needs to be transferred to the Postcard department.

But hey, it's just a movie and it is not a disaster that Estrada's postcards no longer work as a business. It does inspire folks to express themselves of the experience: and as long as the films of Iñárritu/Del Toro/Franco/Escalante/Cuarón continue to triumph at international festivals, Estrada's reprogramming is expendable.

Mexico and other Latino cultures

[yahaira-729-694701 · 6/10 · 14 May 2023]

I appreciate the connection being made about the poverty if the old catholic village a left over of the Spanish colonists. Family is all mo matter what blood binds all the Nuevo rich and dirt poor. This poor village is like the one I saw in venezuela and Italy. The village party was a riot! A funny satire . The reading of the will is the typical scene regarding inheritance with all the estate goes b to Pancho who is given all because he is the only one who lifted himself up from the poverty and became prosperous. The rest of the family are conniving theves and desperate to get left overs and pity from Pancho. The mariachi singing and dancing a true celebration of the mexican culture laugh drink up and sing. Perhaps a long movie but the actors drams and comedy is good and entertaining. Viva mexico!

You suffer this movie twice

[armandorc · 2/10 · 26 March 2023]

Avoid watching this movie or you will suffer it twice: it's not just bad, it's long. Nothing more to say, avoid it like the plague.

It's a movie with jokes with no punchline, which leverages stereotype after stereotype to try (and fail) to make a half decent joke. The storyline Is repetivie with tons of divergent points that go nowhere and contribute nothing to the plot.

Characters are one dimensional, acting is passable at best, and many of them are just fluff that have tons of screen time but don't contribute to the storyline.

Camera shots and framing is boring, no nice landscapes and no interesting camera movements.

Very entertaining and thought provoking, definitely worth watching

[alinemarie · 7/10 · 17 July 2023]

This is mostly a comedy, delightful to watch, but one can't stop thinking of the deeper meanings in it, a main theme being the greed that's driving people, instead of nobler inclinations. Just wait to see this rich man ready to steal everything from his poor family, and it's not a spoiler, cause there are surprises all along, which makes it so engaging, other than some actors' brilliant acting. Another thing worth mentioning is the choice of tones for the depiction of the two contrasting worlds, the fancy city and the forgotten village. There are some actors that really stand out, I'll let you notice them, I also liked seeing Ana Martin in a movie, since I was used to her in telenovelas.

One of Mexico's worst movies I have ever seen

[fitopardor · 1/10 · 20 May 2023]

This movie is probably the longer movie I have seen from Mexico, probably is not the directors cut as it is a movie with out line, well there is a line but because they take forever to develop the story it gets boring, I havent finished the movie, I really tried I like Luis Estrada Directing he has one of my favorite movies "La Ley de Herodes" but this is not what I expected is a terrible movie please don't watch it, and also this is the type of film that talks really badly about Mexico and the Mexicans is not a side I like to show about my country, it tells a side of Mexico that is Horrible, wish they be careful with those things in future movies I am not sure why Luis made this crap.

Satire of the Mexico's discourse about the poors

[hero-of-metal · 9/10 · 27 March 2023]

The movie is a satire of the current discourse of mexican president who talks about fighting corruption and helping the poor people It won't attack the discourse, instead it will show you the real Mexico so you can judge if the discourse is true or not just as with other Luis Estrada movies.

The actors are second to none, Damian Alcazar portraying several characters displays why he is the current best mexican actor. While I was doubtful about Herrera and de la Reguera, now I understand they hired them because they portray a rich family, hence they are well suited for the role.

Great movie, the mexican president tried to censor the movie, and now it is using bots to give bad reviews.

Pure garbage

[javierbaron2008 · 4/10 · 16 April 2023]

All formula tends to wear off. Director Estrada ran out of fresh ideas and this time he repeats what had worked for him in previous films only to make it clear that his style has become anachronistic.

A failed farce that is incapable of presenting a decent character build. Manichaean characters that remain in unfinished cartoons, cartoonish, mere stereotypes.

It is impossible for the viewer to empathize with this group of unsympathetic and unpleasant characters and with scatological scenes that border on the vulgar.

The only challenge the film presents is for the viewer's bladder. In an exercise in overflowing narcissism, the director makes a 190-minute tape! How if it were an epic of The Lord of the Rings. An excess considering the plot poverty it offers.

Even solvent actors like Alcázar and Cosío, despite each playing several characters, can do little in the face of the mediocrity that the script offers them.

Didn't you love it? You didn't get it at all, I'm afraid

[a-86922-16456 · 10/10 · 24 April 2023]

Luis Estrada is a mexican mastermind. In his own words "This is his most ambitious movie", why the mixed reactions then?

One of his most forgotten works and unfairly underrated movie is A Wonderful World. The movie ends in a pretty dark and depressive way, but there's a message inside the story: Because of the poor can't beat the rich, the poor will "kill" the middle class. Just take this in consideration, this is not a regular mexican movie maker, is a powerful message here.

At Que Viva Mexico! Everything, I repeat: EVERYTHING has a meaning, every character represents something alive at this point in the mexican culture. I was looking for a fair review and I found nothing. The mariachis entrance was mistaken as a stupid, senseless and repetitive joke, is not. Here in Mexico the government offers free concerts of top mexican artists. The reference is not obvious, you need to know the director, his previous movies and the current situation of multiple crisis in Mexico.

The movie is NOT an attack to the government, as the previous Estrada movies. This one is against all the people, at different status, condition, health, age, sexual preference, ambitions, intelligence, kindness, loyalty and much more.

I am Mexican & didn't like it... a little offended!

[titochain · 3/10 · 20 May 2023]

I think the movie is really well done, with a great production and actors. Luis Estrada is amazing, but I was really dissatisfied with this film. Even though it is a sitcom, I really believe in the current times this kind of Mexican stereotypes do not exist anymore. This family and the town is not an actual current reality as it is shown. I am Mexican and I find this movie a little offensive and gives a wrong idea of what Mexico is. I think with the talent of Estrada, there was a big opportunity to show the best of our country and not always talk about the bad stuff. He has done politic criticism in previous films which I really feel greatful for, but this was not the case, this show social problems we have but not with tactical. I think there were things that where not really necessary to make people laugh. I don't mind the three hours, I mind the that is not congruent trying to show some reality but showing characteristics that I don't feel consistent. I do this review with all respect and open to hear opinions. I have plenty of examples to discuss about this film to support my review. Anyways I really wish success and that people don't carry this crazy idea about Mexico worldwide. We are much better that what it's shown in this movie.

Comedic satire should not last 3+ hours

[artgutierrez · 3/10 · 25 May 2023]

I understood the point of this movie's satire perfectly. And if you come from a small remote town in Mexico, you REALLY understand it.

So I applaud this film's producers for attempting to bring light to Mexico's underlying social problems. However, this film is very flawed.

For starters, 3 hours and 11 minutes is WAY too long for a comedic satire. Even TWO hours might have been way too long. So that right there was the film's major undoing.

The plot itself strikes me as odd (and yes, I fully know it is satire). The entire extended family in the small mining town is basically dirt poor. But the deceased grandfather is secretly filthy rich with who knows how many millions in gold and property. And he decides to leave it all to the one person in the family who needs it the LEAST?? I get that this is satire and it is meant as a subtle jab as to how poorly the country of Mexico manages its riches in reality. I get that. It still doesn't make sense. But I get that.

The only way I can make sense of this movie is that the producers used this film as a subtle way to say F YOU!! To Mexico's ignorant and selfish ways. They are trying to tell you that Mexicans only look out for themselves and no one else. And that's why Mexico is the way it is now.

It is grossly exaggerated. But there is SOME truth to that. For far too long, Mexico has failed to properly invest in itself because so many of their nation's richest people know that everyone else is just itching to take their money away at every turn. So instead of investing in the future of their country, they hoard it all for themselves instead.

So if that's what this film's message is, then I think I understood that part. But I didn't need 3 hours and 11 minutes of bland comedy to understand it.

Bad and long

[motoeugenio · 1/10 · 5 April 2023]

I just created a IMBD account in order to express how bad this movie is. I went to the cinema in order to watch John Wick, but noticed it was 3 hours long and decided to go into this Que Viva Mexico movie. The first 45 minutes were acceptable, but then after 60 minutes I started looking at my watch, It all became like a book that is missing all the odd number pages, nothing makes sense. They start by attacking the current Mexican President, and nothing continues, then they attack religion, and nothing happens, then they attack the USA , and nothing happens, its just a bad movie. Then you realize 120 minutes have passed, and NOTHING happens, you are still 60 minutes away and only stay seated because you want to know what happens to the gold. I blame the Director for making this movie 120 minutes longer than it should have been. Maybe the worst Mexican movie of all time, and Im Mexican, so I know my Mexican movies.

If you watched and didn't like it you just don't get it

[franpticketsandpass · 10/10 · 27 April 2023]

This movie is the perfect portrayal of a family prone to poverty while literally living on gold. This movie isn't suppose to be funny nor have a happy ending. This movie shows a pattern in habits coming down generation after generation. It's a portrayal of how you can runaway and attempt to break a chain but if you come back you will fall into the same pattern of generational poverty.

Starting with how the movie shows Pancho a top employee on the brink of getting an huge promotion is is ignoring constant calls from his father. He tries to avoid his father until dinner arrives and the father calls again. He picks up and is told to please come to the wake and reading of the will as it is his grandfather's last wish for him to be there and they can't legally go on without him. Pancho in turn tells his father that although sad he can not go and to go on without him. After attempting to avoid his family, Pancho had a nightmare and eventually goes to the providence and goes back to his childhood home. As they pull up to the family home we see that it's dirty, smelly, and poorly kept despite the fact that multiple people live there. Most of which are able bodied.

We meet the Reyes family who are all poor and in unstable relationships. We see as the family takes care of two pregnant underaged girls one of which is his brother's girlfriend and the other his sister whose baby daddy left her early in the pregnancy. His parents decided he to throw them a party in celebration of his return and buy more then they can pay. They soon decided to ask for money from Pancho who is caught making out with his sister in law. He asks how much they need and they say 10,000 pesos while he's arguing about the price the mom reaches for the wallet and grabs a large amount of money claiming to give him back what's left over. While the movie progresses we see Pancho's family start taking advantage of him and his money for he is well off.

Poncho slowly starts going back to old habits and poor decisions are starting to be made. While his wife and kids also start picking up habits but still are wary of his families personalities. His family being poor doesn't hold back from using his money, going as far has having him pay for their prostitutes. We start to see Pancho go from a smart, clean, and happily married man to a drunk, dirty, and unloyal man with his Wife starting poor patterns as well.

Near the end of the movie we see what greed, generational habits, and poverty will take you. With the family losing the property completely and Pancho going from becoming a top paid employee to sweeping floors thanks to his old secretary. The once proud boss calling Pancho names they use to call the "lesser" employees. We see as Pancho's home goes from a clean and well kept home to a dirty and unkept home. The house is surrounded by trash and overgrown weeds while the inside is equally dirty and trashed. We watch as his wife comes down pregnant and drunk as their kids follow all dirty and unkept. As she greets him she tells him she has a surprise and shows him that his entire family is staying with him indefinitely. He is shaken awake by his pregnant wife and is told he was having a nightmare and to quiet down because she's hungover, soon we hear the rest of the family complaining about the noise confirming he wasn't dreaming. The movie ends as we watch him leave his dirty home on his way to work.

This movie is long and terrifying. It has slowly become my favorite horror movie with many of characters resembling many characters from my own life. Although not many will understand what a poverty mindset is those who do will love this movie.

an eternal problem of script and direction

[danaesoto · 2/10 · 15 May 2023]

Unfortunately it is a waste of time. 3 hours where only the first 40 minutes make you laugh slightly. From then on the movie is meaningless! The acting is good, the cast is good. But the script and direction are terrible. Of the things that bothered me the most were the stereotypes of the Mexican people, the stereotypes that Americans have about Mexico.

They were able to condense the idea, this movie should not last more than 70 minutes. There was no coherent plot, terribly tedious editing.

Don't waste your time watching it. There are better Mexican movies, please choose other film!

Thankyou for read.

To Avoid

[tomytoner-75888 · 1/10 · 8 April 2023]

The movie is ridiculously long and reaches a point of despair. I only stayed in the theater to make the most of what I paid, but without a doubt, I do not recommend anyone to watch it. There are few moments where it is "funny," but mostly bitter, and with an unsatisfying ending.

If we talk about the general plot, it's basically a family conflict where everyone fights over the inheritance, and from there, an endless 3-hour plot is made that never goes anywhere, and in the end, "nothing happens," and everyone just ends up poor. If we talk about the general plot, it's basically a family conflict where everyone fights over the inheritance, and from there, an endless 3-hour plot is made that never goes anywhere, and in the end, "nothing happens," and everyone just ends up poor.

90 min I will never get back

[cuagi-78368 · 1/10 · 14 May 2023]

I have created an account just to warn people about this film. Started being funny, with half a decent joke and then after 30 min it just starts going on a loop that you wish makes sense, and then you realize it continues to go downhill, repeating the jokes over and over. After a while we all started looking at each other asking how much more of this is left. I get that it tries to be a satire of Mexico and mediocreness to paradoxically end up being a mediocre plot at best. You end up frustrated about wasting 90 min to get a joke you could have gotten in a 30 min comic sketch. Avoid this movie.

It just doesn't make sense.

[blk-entx · 1/10 · 12 May 2023]

To be honest, I only watched the first 20 minutes. I'm from Mexico, and none of what it shows makes any sense. It's really a waste of time.

I understand the part about criticizing polarization in Mexico, and I think it's an important topic. However, for it to be funny, it would have to be somewhat realistic:

1. In Mexico, there's no way someone in that position (plant manager in a thread factory) would earn enough to support two children in private schools, in that house, buying luxuries, with a nanny, and a wife who doesn't work.

2. The scene of the massive layoff at the factory is ridiculous and not realistic (the way it's done). I don't know what else to say.

3. Everyone in Mexico knows that it's not a good idea to go to a town in the middle of nowhere in a luxury truck with the whole family. In the best-case scenario, they would just steal your car without causing harm.

I understand the satire they're trying to achieve, but it has to be somewhat close to reality (which in Mexico is quite polarized, unfair, and violent). But this movie doesn't make sense. Don't waste your time.

Absolutely amazing and refreshing

[nsmiljana · 10/10 · 14 May 2023]

3 hours passed very fast. This movie is so many things in one, skillfully wrapped up in a beautiful parody on greed, judgement and lack mindset. I find the movie first and foremost educational: circumstances can bring out the worst in us... And if we are not able to see it for what it is, it may get the best of us. The primary theme seems to centered around greed and how it can affect people of two contrasting social statuses. The behavior of both them becomes the same regardless of perceived differences between them. Moreover, the privileged ones that judged the disadvantaged ones became exactly like them and even worse. Loved it!

utterly disgusting

[nirvana-58278 · 1/10 · 29 May 2023]

Everything is ridiculous on this movie. The acting, the director, the plot line.

It's embarrassing for a country like Mexico to have this kind of 'actors' that can only stain the name of the country with this horrendous film.

And I'm not saying this only because I'm Mexican myself, the movie it's really an delusional waste of time.

I'm usually committed to finish a movie once I started, in this case, this was impossible, I tried twice, I honestly felt nauseous thinking the rest of the world may watch it and think this is the reality among poor people in Mexico looks, I feel nauseous thinking is on the first results when people search for the country's name on Netflix.

Mexican people know this is classist effort made by the people who don't like the current President (and the low class society) and it is not a reflection of who we are as a nation. Netflix should delete it from the platform.

If you're really interested to learn how poor Mexican people live, save your valuable time and watch 'Where the tracks end', that's a great movie currently on Netflix.

Thanks for reading.

Clearly the negative comments aren't Mexican and didn't bother to finish the film

[jr-21920 · 8/10 · 14 May 2023]

I get it it's long. The film clearly states that it is 3 hours long. If it clearly states it. Why do you bother in trying to watch it? Are you sure you should be commenting on a film just to complain it's run time? It's like when parents complain about a movie being not kid friendly when it's clearly says rated R. It's a masterpiece that is worth every minute of its lengthy runtime. Its mix of humor, drama, and suspense creates a thoroughly entertaining and unforgettable viewing experience. Clearly represents my Mexican Culture in lots of ways. Totally recommend to those who have as much of patience as I do.

Waste of time

[raco-06555 · 2/10 · 12 May 2023]

Gave it a star because of the effort to try to create something funny, and another for the fact that it will remain as an example of poorly made movies.

Let me put people in context: by the writing and filming of this movie, the current government cancelled an institution that used to finance and stimulate Mexican film making, but it always end up financing projects from the same creators, the director of this film included. These films always ended up being expensive mediocre movies just like this movie.

And so the only way he can get finance, was by writing a plot to ridicule the government and the people of Mexico.

French Farce, Mexican Style

[qui_j · 3/10 · 13 May 2023]

This is a Bollywood length movie, a French Farce done Mexican style. There are all the hallmarks of a farce i.e tons of overacting, dalliances that make no sense and the usual silly characters that are commonplace in satires. Unfortunately, this one is just not well done, and is far too long. There are much better satires produced in Mexico that poke fun at the class structure, rich vs poor etc. The "jokes" in this one are all done poorly, and lack sophistication or good writing. It's amazing that it was funded at all, even more amazing that it could be streamed on a premier site like Netflix!

- Pls don't watch this movie - There are better ways to waste 60 minutes of your life -

[agustinlopez20 · 1/10 · 23 April 2023]

Luis Estrada is a hypocrite and sellout also all of the actors of this movie are extremely corrupted and are paid by the current Mexican president / government, whoever watches this movie will see just propaganda, thanks to this gangsters like AMLO and the morena party, mexico is going from bad to worse -

This guys Estrada has been a critic of the government and has done decent movies in the past but this time his boss is the president and of course he just showed his colors and that he is a complete sellout -

As a Mexican I am ashamed of watching this type of propaganda and I will encourage everyone to not watch it don't buy it and don't spend a penny in this type of crap -

Movie adequately portrays dysfunctional family problems

[lukesksmith · 10/10 · 24 September 2023]

I loved how this movie portrayed different problems and typical issues that are seen in Mexico. I married a Mexican and lived there 4 years. I've seen almost every single one of these depictions from so many different families there. My review talks about how this movie relates to us and why I think the director did a splendid job on explaining the social problems that exist between families.

I understand that not everyone in Mexico is as depicted in the movie, but from my experience, almost everyone can relate to where the "rich" person can fork over loads of money whether it be a rich person from DF or from family members in USA. Many poor family members cannot stand that their siblings want to study to do something with their life and they will sabotage them so that they fail just as the rest of the family had failed.

Another example of theft I have personally been a victim of is when the father had to pay 23,000 pesos for the party and he told his son it was 25k pesos and still took his cash. My father in law has done this to me and my wife at least 5 times with smaller quantities.

The movie shows how the entire family could have been rich if they were not so lazy because they never even touched the pic axe or shovels during the 20 years that Pancho had left town. They all just want the easy, low hanging fruit due to the lack of goals, motivation and education. They passed down every opportunity they ever had until it was all too late. The fact that nobody ended up with anything in the end shows how the family could have ended up differently if they had taken advantage of the family mine and had ever been Interested in the grandpa's hobbies. The gold bars that were for Pancho would have been for everyone if they hadn't been the way they are; of course, Francisco Reyes knew his family and couldn't trust them with anything.

The family was two-faced the entire time because they only wanted Pancho's/grandpa's money. This isn't a fairytale; the director depicted this almost exactly as it is in real life.

It was sad to see, but also often true, how the protagonists both fell into adultery and I have heard of more adultery stories than faithful stories from families, which sadly is also shown in this movie.

Unfortunately, the film doesn't talk about the good things about typical families, but it didn't need to because the film achieved its goal to bring to light the issues with poor family members treating rich family members.

People say that the poor don't have the opportunity to grow, but I beg to differ. There are government grants that pay students to go to school in Mexico. There are full fledge colleges that are free to 700 pesos a semester that "poor" people or anyone can attend to get a degree. If these students get good grades then they essentially get paid to go to school. Even then, many students spend it all on a weekend at the bar instead of books and food from what I've seen.

Politics is indeed a reason why Mexico can't progress but it's not a good enough excuse for me because people can progress if they really want to set goals and overcome trials.

The movie's message clearly shows that many poor families drag each other down and will lie and cheat to get away with each other's personal progres or money.

I would hope that people who see this movie recognize that these issues clearly exist, even if they aren't always as extreme as this movie's case.