Adapted by writer/director Fernando Sariñana from the stories by Juan Madrid, Ciudades Oscuras (Dark Cities) tells a story of interwoven lives in the seedy underbelly of Mexico City. The several different story lines concern hooker Lola (Dolores Heredia); her drug addict son Fede (Diego Luna); her friend Zeze (Zaide Silvia Gutierrez); Zeze's daughter Susana (Jimena Ayala); and junkie Vicente (Roberto Sosa). Also on the scene are two corrupt cops (Alejandro Tommasi and Jesus Ochoa) and one good cop (Odiseo Bichir), while Chicken (Hector Suarez) and Casimiro (Alonso Echanove) each tell their separate stories to the same bartender (Demian Bichir). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
Acting
Diego Luna's raw, pre-Y tu mamá también performance.
Writing
Juan Madrid's source stories weave together with bitter poetry.
Director
Fernando Sariñana
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Demián Bichir plays the bartender Mario while his brother Odiseo plays the 'good cop'—the Bichir family basically built this film.
Released during Mexico's New Mexican Cinema wave, it captures the anxiety of urbanization that Amores Perros made famous—but with less dog, more despair.
MX
