When talking about Mexican cinema, a name that commonly comes up is Eugenio Derbez. Thanks to his great career on Mexican television, the actor and comedian was able to become an important figure for the national film industry. You may admire or reject his work, but one thing is certain: his name sells. Therefore, seeing it in a film with such a critical theme as Radical It is something that immediately attracts attention. Not only is it based on a true story, it also addresses important topics for Mexican society, and is completely committed to drama, a genre in which it is not very common to see Derbez.
The story raises the following question: who will the sixth grade students at José Urbina López Elementary School in Matamoros become? They are among the worst performing students in Mexico, the world they know is one of violence and difficulties. Furthermore, an atmosphere of authoritarian discipline, not possibilities, predominates in their classrooms. It may seem like a dead end… but it’s also the perfect place for new professor Sergio Juárez to try something different. There’s only one problem: Sergio has no idea what he’s doing.
In the first instance, the history of Radical It sounds like many others we have seen. Although inspiring stories, those that motivate you to pursue your dreams, are not something new, they should be told in contexts or environments that contribute something to the conversation. Under that logic, Radical It stands out for its portrait of a Mexico where violence abounds. The Matamoros of the film is an authentic one, one that has been talked about over the years. The representation of violence in the area is crude, and although some moments may seem gratuitous, the truth is that they were part of the protagonists’ daily lives.
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To fit into that environment where pessimism and resignation reign, Eugenio Derbez leaves his comfort zone and makes Sergio Juárez the best character of his career. Yes, in the first minutes he plays with the physical comedy and the gestures that characterize him, but once his character understands the problems that his students face, that blurs. With great dramatic capacity and moving moments, Derbez represents and dignifies those teachers that more than one has loved in his life. Those teachers whose teachings transcend beyond the classroom.
Of course, the actor’s participation is not all the charm of Radical. The children who give life to their students are perfectly chosen. Not only do they look like elementary school children, it is also plausible that they live in that environment and they have tremendous chemistry with each other, but also with Derbez. Special mentions for Jennifer Trejo, who plays Paloma Noyola, Danilo Guardiola as Nico, and Mía Fernanda Solís as Lupe. In the adult part, Daniel Haddad (All the freckles in the world) and Enoch Leaño (The wild region) also stand out for the character of their characters and the authenticity of their interpretations.
Christopher Zalla’s direction is also a highlight. The Kenyan-born filmmaker, and director of some episodes of Law and order, knows perfectly how to position the camera. She also reflects, with realism and respect, the ravages of violence in a group of children who just want to be someone in life. Furthermore, he brings out the best in his actors and makes Radical feels credible.
However, his work on the script could have been better developed. Although almost all the moments in the film work, there are some that lengthen the second act. At times, the dynamic between Sergio Juárez and his students becomes repetitive, and does not allow us to delve enough into the problems of certain children. Likewise, there are times when the dialogue feels artificial. Although these are isolated moments, they are striking because of how good everything is around them.
In the technical section, Radical It’s also impressive. The production design team had to build, from scratch, the garbage dump where Paloma and her father work. The result is spectacular in every sense. Although at first glance it is not a story that lends itself to playing with photography, the work of Mateo Londono (The valet) manages to create shocking moments. As it could not be otherwise, the work of Martín Hernández (birdman) in the sound also contributes to making certain moments, especially one towards the third act, even more raw and painful.
At the end of the day, it’s impossible not to think about Radical as the best film by Eugenio Derbez. Of course, the bar was not very high, but this drama based on real events manages to be so with compelling merits. It has a powerful story, an unbeatable cast, and a moving and hopeful ending that will surely bring many viewers to tears. Fortunately, Radical It more than fulfills its function of telling a necessary and painfully current story. But it also leaves that beautiful motivation to go further. To reach, as mentioned in the film, sidereal space.
Juan Jose Cruz I am one of those who always defended Robert Pattinson as Batman and can see the same movie in the cinema up to 7 times. My guilty taste? Low-budget horror films.