The Young and the Damned

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Tony S Bunuel's masterpiece. Brutal but honest portrayal of poverty and the products of it. There is no Aladdin in these Mexico City slums. All of the characters have depth to them that prevent them from being just cliches you expect from such story. The poor blind man is not going to be a wise mentor, the mother isn't going to be a virtue of patience and compassion and the bad boy isn't going to do amoral and heinous things just because he just likes them. In the end of such story, there is nothing but despair. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 08/01/21 Full Review Audience Member Brutal portrayal of the lives of Mexican street kids. Like a non singing non dancing latter day Oliver Twist with more murder and predatory seedy adults involved. Not a heart warmer. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review William L It wouldn't be a Buñuel film unless someone maims an animal. Los Olvidados is one of the great depicitions of poverty in film - here as a despondent mire whose victims are taken in regardless of whether or not they are appropriately deserving. Some may find themselves fallen by chance, others as a result of some misdeed performed against them, others inevitably due to some vice, but all become trapped in an inescapable cycle where efforts to better ones position are met most often with failure. The most disturbing aspect that the film portrays is the common nature of mutual harm among those at the bottom; instead of recognizing opportunities, it is often jealousy or greed that motivates Buñuel's characters to act in ways that perpetuate the cycle of hate. The surrealist elements aren't necessarily as prevalent in Los Olvidados as in other films from the director, and it lacks some of his trademark off-kilter humor, but Buñuel still succeeds in creating an important piece of social criticism. (4.5/5) Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/24/21 Full Review s r 1001 movies to see before you die. This is an impressive Mexican film showing poverty and how it can lead to crime. A great story that keeps you captivated. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/11/23 Full Review Audience Member The greatest Mexican movie ever made. Even for today's audiences, it is gruesome and depressing. Nevertheless, it is a faithful portrait of a reality still existing today. But the whole movie is not as impressionistic as we might think, thanks to Buñuel's wonderful dream sequence. Pure surrealism and realism put together in the most effective, yet cruel way, in order to give us art. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review andres s Wow, these are couple of little shits. I hope they get what's coming to them, bullying an old blind man like that. This Jaibo character is a straight up delinquent. He's a good for nothing bum and he'll get what's coming to him. I feel bad for the kid who's still waiting for his father to return. But I'm glad the blind man took him in. He's a great character. Jeez man, these kids are absolute trash. Now they're bullying a man with no legs. Holy shit, that scene where Pedro's spirit wakes up from his sleep and the chicken comes flying down and Julian with the gash in his head is under Pedro's bed. That was so imaginative and creative and it was all done with practical effects. Very ahead of it's considering this movie was made in the early 50's. I really hope for the worst for this Jaibo guy. I hope he dies in the most horrible way possible. Pedro's situation is an unfortunate one because he's a good kid who just got roped in with the wrong crowd. I sweat to god Jaibo is like the lingering festering cancer that is sin. And he's always around every corner waiting for the right moment to strike and make someone commit a sin. Sometimes you have to speak up especially if there's ever scum pieces of shit like Jaibo in your life. Kind of a dark ending, especially with Pedro, but I understand why Bunuel decided to go that route. He was trying to show us that it doesn't pay to be a street thug or to be easily persuaded by the wrong person. I really had hoped that Pedro would have been given a second chance. He was almost there, almost to the point of reforming into a better kid. He just needed a bit more time. If Jaibo would have never been in his life, he would have been a completely different kid, a better kid. But I am glad with Jaibo's ending. Justice served in a righteous bowl of universal karma. I just wish his death would have been a bit more gruesome. I guess Bunuel did the best that he could for the early 50's. It's pretty sad to watch all of this. This is a movie about victims of circumstance and about sin. It does bring me peace watching this and knowing that I didn't end up like these kids. It makes me realize and be thankful for the amazing parents that I have and the way that they raised me. I'd watch this movie again but only to remind myself of how fortunate I am to be where I am. This would be a great movie to show to kids who are going down the wrong path in life. And it's sad because it's not really there fault. It's always the parents fault or the parent's parent's fault. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Young and the Damned

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