We’ve already written quite a bit about “Rudo Y Cursi,” the upcoming feature-film debut from Carlos Cuarón, the younger brother of Alfonso Cuarón and co-writer of “Y Tu Mama Tambien” and “Solo Con Tu Pareja” (among many others). The Spanish-language comedy reunites ‘Tu Mama’ stars and best friends Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal as bumbling rival soccer playing brothers. We posted some bizarre viral clips of the film a few weeks ago (it was released in Mexico in December) and the soundtrack details back when it had its US premiere at Sundance.
Here’s the long-form 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 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 to help each other while casting headlong towards their individual destiny.
The film plays during the Tribeca Film Festival (which runs April 22-May 2) and hits theaters in limited release on May 8, via Sony Pictures Classics.