User Reviews

The movie had a really cool/interesting story to pull from and I thought they did a pretty good job at keeping the story going, though there is one part where the plot drags a little. There were some really great and interesting cinematography. The movie over all is okay, would give it a 7.5 if I could. I think the film is worth the watch but make sure to read the actual story afterwards.

An entertaining and funny mexican road movie/heist movie. The story is about two friends who decide to rob an archeological museum. Gael Garcia Bernal givres a hilarious performance as an actor who plans the whole thing and thinks more about himself. Leonardo Ortizigris was also okay. The screenplay was full of wit and the film itself very entertaining. A fine direction and very cool locations and settings. The story might not be the most original one but the characters are quirky and its fun to watch them. Also the dynamics between the characters made the movie good. Simon Russell Beale was also good in his short appearance. Its a bit overlong and surely could have been shorten. Still a fun film and I recommend it for everybody who is looking for simple but smart fun.

Nihilism in the film captivated me from beginning to end. While there are implications of cultural imperialism, the culture poisoning of the individual has also been shown. The institution of 'family' has been included in the dilemma as the institution to which the individual both wants to move away and which he remains attached. Many people have criticized the lacuna in the script, but I think this was left on purpose because the movie rejected the causality principle from the beginning. Sound editing tooks part in the movie as an actor/actress. The black woman with a bleeding nose at the party, the rubik's cube, and the people jumping into the water... Each symbol is skillfully placed.

I like the tone of the movie, the characters are funny, the story is serious, the events are tense. You won't regret watching. The film was adapted from a real story, but came to me a little exaggerated. Especially when I was watching the robbery scene. I hope our museums are better protected.

Museo was shown as part of the 2018 Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF). It tells a great story with some quirkiness and comedic elements. As a Mexican movie, there are some aspects such as historical and political factors that are culturally-specific. These aspects made it difficult for me to comprehend totally, having no knoweldge of Mexican culture. It's not a criticism of the film, more a self-disclosure of my inability to relate to all of the content. This aside, there are many aspects of Museo which have universality: the relationship between parents and adult children, the humour, childhood friendships that continue into adulthood, the moments of pathos and family Christmas get-togethers, which is portrayed with great mischieviosness in Museo. These are built around the heist of the Archaelogical Museum, which is at the centre of the film. Museo also raises questions about storytelling which is in the background throughout the movie. Are stories which are passed down in narrative form always accurate or do they become embellished as time goes on? What is fiction and non-fiction? What is true and what is false? So that at the end of the movie the audience is left wondering how much of what is portrayed did happen. Gael Garcia Bernal as Juan (the brains behind the heist) steals the show (oops poor pun there .. lol). His sidekick Benjamin played by Leonardo Ortizgris makes up the pair and provides some of the funnier moments in the film. The film drags a little in the middle and could do with some editing. Overall, this is an entertaining film, which will have more salience for a Mexican audience.

This is Alonso Ruízpalacios' second masterpiece, after the gorgeous Güeros (2014). As a disclaimer, this is more of a road movie and character study, than a robbery movie, it doesn't glamorize neither the crime nor the criminals, and at the same time makes a commentary on Mexican society as a whole. Instead of the usual narrative of "the robbery of the century", the screenplay focuses more on asking the question "What kind of character would do something like that?" and creates the complex, troubled, and idealistic Juan, who, tired of his family that makes him feel like he doesn't belong, decides to find himself by doing something nobody else would do, he drags his best friend Wilson who is more of a victim of his friend's ideals than a criminal. They get on the road, and it will test the friendship of both. The cinematography is always top notch, camera acts as the thing that reflects Juan's unreliable point of view. Most of the time lacking depth of field, and distracting from the main film and contemplating parts of a world bigger than the plot, along with editing which is mostly slow, and other times experimental, it lets you see that the setting of the story is greater than the story itself. The acting is also amazing, this is one of those movies enhanced by how much an actor tells you about the character without the need to say anything. But where the movie shines the most is in the sound design, there are entire sequences in the film told only by sound, and other scenes that get a new context because of how the sounds are managed. And everything comes together by Ruízpalacios' directing. Many times through the film it reminds you, you are watching a movie by braking continuity, cutting in the middle of a conversation, or with actual directing orders in the middle of a scene, but it actually works to make it more magical.

As a side note This is a movie where setting matters, México is not only the place this movie happens, it is the only place it could happen. Not only because of the poorly managed security in the museum, the way road military operates, or the erratic way news travel, but because of the lack of identity in the characters, feeling as if the pieces were their right to steal because those too were taken. Something I've always find lackluster in most Mexican films is how little they resemble Mexico, most of them usually work as a parody of the people and culture. But in both, Güeros and Museo, it is a celebration of the things that makes México an unique country, In neither a negative or positive view, but in one full of awareness. It is the first time in a long time that I've seen a film and actually said "this is a movie set in the same Mexico I live".

In general Gael Garcia Bernal is always part of great projects, this time is not the case, the movie had a great anecdote based on a true story and at the end they made a boring and at times ridiculous film, what a waste fo talent! the director wasted a great plot.

The ultimate mystery of Museo is this: What would make a young adult from an upper middle class household pull off a heist of ancient artifacts from the Mexico City Archeological Museum. Juan Nuñez is disaffected, stalled in his career, emotionally disconnected from all unless he can put down his sister and his passive, sluggish friend. He is the artifacts he steals--but worse. Something within him feels plundered from a sacred past he lost but can't locate, transported in time, offended by modern culture. He is a wandering ghost whose eventually will make all those around him reinforce his self-hatred. Despite this downward slide, he finds a piece of dignity in the end.

I wish the film could keep this riveting plot driving down the road from Mexico City to the country's ancient ruins to Acapulco and back. The performances aren't the problem. Gael Garcia Bernal is always interesting to watch, but he is crushed under the weight of a director who tries too hard to get his point across. The heist scene makes you think you're going on a joy ride ending in disaster. But it's the major highlight of the film. After that it stalls repeatedly, stuck in contemplative or surreal scenes--at times, clearly reminiscent of Fellini at his most decadent and surreal. The movie going on much too long, long after the audience gets it already and is ready to move on.

A good 1/2 hour editing could have turned this movie into a wonder. I would show Museo and Raising Arizona to a class of young filmmakers to understand how a film can either go so right or so wrong.Take the time to see the Coen Brother's Raising Arizona. It was able to connectcrime, the bizarre world, slapstick and the wild unconscious of character, acting without self-knowledge. No, you don't have to simply be like two of the greatest of heist films, Jule's Dassin's Rififi and Topkapi, keeping it light, enjoying the fun of getting away with it. But you don't have to film with a density that sinks project in the Pacific.

Museo (screenplay by Manuel Alcalá and Alonso Ruizpalacios; direction by Ruizpalacios) is the most cinematically stimulating movie I have seen so far this year. The film dramatizes an actual 1985 theft at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City but then shifts to focus on the emotional impact of the theft on the two perpetrators. About ten minutes into the film I found myself thinking, "They don't make movies like this anymore." Why did I feel that way? Both the subject matter -- the anomie of the middle-class in a nation with profound social divisions -- and Ruizpalacios's wide-screen composition recall Fellini and Antonioni films of sixty years ago. So do the dramatic Saul Bass-like titles, the symphonic score and sound design. Seek this movie out!

Museo is a film about to museum thieves that are isolated from they're families do to their own views on history and life (staring Gael Garcia Bernal and directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios). I like the film but to me it was the essential problem of it's potential. In the beginning, there's this narration section on history and what is truth which was the best part of the film but it wasn't explored and was thrown out immediately. The third act which is the weakest part involving Juan (the name of Gael Garcia Bernal's character) fighting in a bar and getting drunk in the beach. Second, the freeze frame/motionless technique which the film occasionally utilized (heist scene and bar fight sequence specifically) just looks plain silly. In addition, certain shots like the painting sequences and Juan running gave me a confused reaction. The pacing was slow at times and couple of scenes felt like GPS destination routes than moving the story forward with purpose. Lastly, the entire film felt safe and none of it gave the impression of being memorable or starting a conversation of any kind about the film's theme which is unfortunate cause it looks fairly well and Garcia Bernal gives a good performance. In conclusion, the movie is good but should've been a lot more!

I looked forward to watching this movie for taking on a fascinating story. Having such an incredible base to work on gave this film so much potential. Gael's involvement usually entails quality. Not in this case. Other than some good performances (including Gael's), the rest is mediocre. The script, the flow, the adaptation. They did not even stick to the story! That was the easy part and it was such a good story. All in all, a missed opportunity.

Another heist movie but personally I never heared about this heist that is supposed to be based on a true story. The story had potential but to me it was just not good enough to be remembered in the future. First of all the movie is way too long for the story it is, at one point you just get a bit bored. The heist itself had some suspense and should have been much longer as this was the best part of the movie. There is one fight scene in the whole movie (in the bar) and that looks so fake it is kind of ridiculous. The acting isn't bad but certainly not spectacular. I'm not saying it isn't entertaining but it just could have been much better.

Boring, slow, shaky camera man. Not the best movie by Gael. Not recommended.

The movie left me with very mixed feelings. I'm a sucker for this kind of movies, that are slow paced, have lots of symbolic imagery and but told in a light-hearted way. I admire the movie more for it's technical achievements: It's great use of sound and editing. A good sense of visuals that stick with you. It's the story part that left me a bit disappointed, especially after reading about the real story.

Our protagonist is one of the dumbest individuals out there but at the same time he comes up with a pretty intricate way to devise a heist. We get a good view of the psychology of a good-for-nothing guy who wants to prove himself to himself, his family, to the world and to history. The movie has some interesting things to say about the ethics of museums and heritage of cultures. But it's more like an afterthought than an actual deep dive. I don't now if it was intentional but Juan never really does become likeable throughout the journey, not even a bit (not like his sidekick at least). He stumbles through his life and close calls like Peter Sellers. In fact, a lot of the images and music is very reminiscent of the 60's, although the movie is supposed to be taking place in the 80's which kind of confused me several times. The last half of the movie is kind of meandering in my opinion and the movie could have easily be trimmed down to 100 minutes. But it was still an interesting experience/insight into Mexican culture, although emotionally it didn't really grab me.

Two young guys rob Maya artefacts from a Mexican museum, and get caught up in emotional and philosophical quandaries when trying to fence them.

Ruizpalacios takes us directly into meta territory with the opening disclaimer: "this film is a copy of the original events." From there, he takes up questions of value, authenticity, love, duty and of course truth. The film is a philosophical puzzler that's also oddly moving.

Ruizpalacios is gonna be a writer/director to watch.

Not interesting, doesn't have rhythm, it's pontless, a lot of pshycodelic shots, slow movie.

I just can't find any element to get enthusiasm on this feel. Maybe, some acting were good. But the rest just awful, particularly Direction: over doing constinously. Idea of the script was interesting, but excecution very boring. How can 2 stupid kids make such a robbery? How can you make that sophisticated robbery and then go the Acapulco to sell it. And on the way, a terribly over doing of Mr Director trying to show all the time he knows many tricks

Photography deserves a 0 and direction also. The script maybe a 4 and the only thing we can rescue from this yawn of movie is Gael. I can't believe they could turn Mexico's robery of the century into a boring to hell movie.

Pseudo intelectual wants to be super intelligent it fails miserably but all about of this is a very boring movie

The story is not very strong as the apperance of Gael Garcia the second artist is unknown and not strong enough, the reality vs the fiction is far far away.