Alfonso Cuarón pays tribute to his family's live-in maid in "Roma. He names this memoir for the middle class Mexico City neighborhood where he grew up in the 1970s. Yalitza Aparicio cooks, cleans, picks up, and cares for Cuaron, his siblings and parents. She works in silence. We watch her world through her eyes. The story emerges gradually, including separation, divorce, revolutionary politics, and tragedy. All present as unremarkable details of life. The film plays in crisp black and white with breathtaking, epic scenes matched with small intimate moments. The gradual pace, and the beauty of the filmmaking give remarkable power to "Roma." Rated "R," 4 stars. Does it deliver what it promises? Captures the mix of big and small events in life. Is it entertaining? Mesmerizing. Is it worth the price of admission? One of the year's very best. A must-see.
