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Emilio Echeverria, Gael García Bernal, Goya Toledo, Alvaro Guerrero, Jorge Salinas ... see more see more... , Adriana Barraza

Three stories of life along the margins in Mexico City converge in this inventive thriller. Octavio is sharing an apartment with his brother, which leads to a serious problem when he falls in love wit... read more read more...h Susanna, his sister-in-law. Octavio and Susanna want to run away together, but Octavio has no money. He does, however, know a man who stages dog fights, and he volunteers his dog Cofi for the next round of fights. Cofi bravely rises to the occasion, but the dog's success in the ring leads to a violent altercation. Elsewhere, Daniel, a successful publishing magnate, leaves his family to take up with a beautiful model, Valeria. Valeria, however, soon loses a leg in an auto accident, and as Daniel tends to her needs, her tiny pet dog gets trapped under the floorboards of their apartment. And finally, El Chivo (Emilio Echeverria) is an elderly homeless man who is trying to contact his daughter, whom he hasn't seen in years. Desperate for money, El Chivo is hired by a businessman to assassinate his partner; however, as he's following his target, he's interrupted by an auto accident, from which Octavio and his injured dog stagger in search of help. Amores Perros (aka Love's a Bitch) was the debut from director Alexandro Gonzalez Inarritu. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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93% liked it

98,377 ratings

Critics

92% liked it

111 critics

R, 2 hr. 33 min.

Directed by: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Release Date: March 30, 2001

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DVD Release Date: September 25, 2001

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Stats: 6,296 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (6,296)

  • fb619846742
    February 20, 2013
    fb619846742
    A 'Pulp Fiction'-esque film dealing with several characters and how they are all interconnected amongst the dirty, bleak streets of Mexico City, where dogfighting is common and how a vicious car crash wrecks the lives of those involved. Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is a v... read moreery skilled director whose stories are usually intense and very dramatic, and this is as big and successful and opening film as any director out there has ever had. The way he weaves his stories together despite starting them out completely separate from each other, combined with how he paces his film and makes 150 minutes seem like an hour and a half film, is nothing short of incredible. There are a few instances of over-acting and a few questionable turns in the story, but asides from this is an absolutely gripping piece of cinema that must not go unseen.
  • hunterjt13
    December 6, 2012
    hunterjt13
    After a dog-fighter crashes into a supermodel, the film depicts each person's story.
    Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's films never surpassed this, his first effort. An extraordinarily well-told story, Amores Perros reaches the Altman Standard for intersecting stories. Linked by th... read moree themes of love and dogs and love of dogs, each story is compelling in its own way, especially the final chapter, which takes advantage of a phenomenal performance by Emilio Echeverria.
    What I found disappointing was the ending of the second story, which seemed to come to a depressing conclusion without substance. The same can be said of the first story's ending, but the final moments of the film, which conclude the third story, make up for many of the film's deficiencies as a whole.
    Overall, Amores Perros is a fantastic debut for a rightfully internationally acclaimed filmmaker.
  • fb1216165431
    September 10, 2011
    fb1216165431
    Love's A Bitch is a multi-layered and well-articulated mock to humanity's understanding of loyalty. Violent and profound. Aggressive and cruel. Prodigious.
  • stevenecarrier
    August 11, 2011
    stevenecarrier
    "Amores Perros" is the mesmerizing directorial debut from Alejandro González Iñárritu. The film is fiercely affecting and involving. Iñárritu's handle over the pacing of his three interlaced short stories is invigorating. The character's in Iñárritu's world only know one currency... read more- violence. No matter if the intentions are good, bad or a combination, each exchange stems from violence. This idea fleshes out the existential aspects of the narrative and adds an almost noirish touch. After all, the world these people inhabit is centerless and out of control, just like any good noir story. For all it's graphic, horrendous violence, "Amores Perros" is an outstanding film that's gripping and thought provoking and well worth serious attention.
  • itsjustme2004
    April 29, 2011
    itsjustme2004
    Disturbing, yet really really good. A rather long movie, but it was completely worth it. I love Gael Garcia Bernal, and his performance in this was superb, as usual. Nominated for 2001 Academy Award, and it absolutely deserved it.
  • lewiskendell
    September 8, 2010
    lewiskendell
    "To make God laugh, tell him your plans."

    I usually love these kinds of sprawling dramas about interconnected people, but I suppose there's an exception to every rule. Amores Perros is that exception, for me. It felt more like a 2 1/2 hour soap opera, than a riveting drama.

    Th... read moree only story of the three presented here that somewhat interested me was that of Daniel and Valeria. The rest of my time with Amores Perros was spent wondering why none of these people have caller ID, wondering whether this movie set some kind of record for most fake dead dogs in a film, wondering who El Chivo reminded me of (Il Duce from Boondock Saints), wondering why they just didn't cover the darn hole (who leaves gaping holes in the middle of their apartment floor?), and trying to think up a name for the dog (never came up with anything I liked more than Lost Dog). Mostly, I was just bored.

    I've read other people describe this as a powerful movie. Unfortunately, it just didn't do much for me. I give it credit for breaking my heart over those gorgeous legs (a true tragedy, my friends), but that's about it.
  • StarCrossedVoyager
    May 17, 2010
    StarCrossedVoyager
    I thought this was a vile film about dog fighting and how peoples lives become messed up. The dog fighting was horrible, I just didn't want to see stuff like that. It shows how greedy and selfish some of those leaders were by using their dogs and giving them pain and even getting... read more them killed just for money. I liked the way it showed that no matter who you are, how rich you are, how good a job you've got, bad things always happen and people will never be 100% happy with what they've got. I didn't like how the stories were quite bluntly cut but I really enjoyed exploring this man who we had no idea who he was in the beginning. It was good to keep him throughout because it gave the film a constant. The acting was good on Bernal's part. Overall, this is not a film I'd like to see again.
  • ythelastman89
    April 29, 2010
    ythelastman89
    I think that I can honestly say that this is one of the greatest movies ever made. It might not be as obvious as most, but this film manages to tell a story in a way that no one has ever managed to do before. Each segment tells a very different story, but all manage to show real ... read morelife and real conclusions. There arenâ??t any uplifting speeches, dynamite dialogue or flawless action sequences, but Iâ??d never want any of those things included in a movie like this. It is anything but a conventional Hollywood film, it doesnâ??t give you the same sequence of events, rising action, etc. You are presented with situations the way they would occur.




    The first story and probably my favorite, Octavio & Susana is about someone trying to do the right thing, but getting caught up in a whole lot of trouble. Octavio knows that his brother is a horrible person and that he mistreats his wife so he takes it upon himself to save her. However, he mistakes pity for love and forces thoughts upon himself that just arenâ??t real. He gets turned on to the dog fighting underground and makes a lot of money very fast, making a lot of enemies as well. This leads to a car chase that changes the lives of two other people as well as himself. Eventually he gives up on escape and decides to move on with his life. Gael Garcia Bernal is amazing as Octavio and extremely close to what I would consider a flawless performance. You fall in love with this character and automatically sympathize with his situation and the choices he makes.





    The next segment was interesting, dealing with the decline of vanity and independence. A woman is physically impaired in the car crash and forced to end her modeling career. The events that follow play around with the idea of fate and the bad luck of human nature. The last segment really finishes off the movie nicely. It follows a man that has almost completely lost the will to live, with nothing but dogs for company. He follows around his estranged daughter in hopes of reconnecting with her, but never seems to make the emotional leap. His past and current occupation as a hitman make him one of the most complex characters Iâ??ve ever seen on screen. His judgments and actions are almost completely unpredictable. He has moments of pure rage and hate and others of compassion and love. The ending fits so well with the message of the film, that life will continue. It might not be happy or just, but it will continue.
  • flixsterman
    April 7, 2010
    flixsterman
    "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans"

    Exquisite cinema, but a hard, hard watch for animal lovers (like me).
  • ceWEBrity
    October 25, 2009
    ceWEBrity
    An interesting and entirely involving prototype to the "hyperlink" film that's had more than its share of attention in Hollywood lately. Even though this is probably one of the quickest two and a half hours I've ever spent with a movie, I do wish that the film was created with mo... read morere economy. Obviously Amores Perros would not exist or function to its fullest if one of the three stories was abridged or removed, but the division of time between the rather large cast of main characters creates an unusual effect. I found that though I had developed a great interest in these people, I wasn't truly connected to them, feeling more like a detached observer than someone genuinely invested in their plights. They are elegantly rendered portraits, if only through virtue of some amazing acting; Inarritu gets flawless performances out of every single one of his actors here. It goes a long way in glossing over some of the heavier writing, such as Gael Garcia Bernal's caricaturally demonic older brother or the rather limp Abel-Cain scenario at the end. In the scope of the story he wanted to tell, I don't think Inarritu could have done much better, and overall the movie is a ringing success. Perhaps not a masterpiece, but an exciting and unique experiment in a narrative structure that would later be beaten into the ground.

View All Amores Perros Reviews

Critic Reviews

Barbara Scharres
February 8, 2008
Barbara Scharres, Chicago Reader

Solidly engaging, supersized 2000 Mexican drama. Full Review

Andrew Sarris
April 27, 2007
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

One of the most honored and most expertly articulated Mexican films of recent years. Full Review

Geoff Andrew
February 9, 2006
Geoff Andrew, Time Out

Recalling Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction - but edgier than both - this is a hell of a first film. For all its bonecrunching savagery, it's also a fundamentally moral work. Full Review

Rick Groen
March 19, 2002
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

Inarritu's talent may be derivative, but it's applied to a setting he knows well and whose vibrancy he's keen to convey. Full Review

Peter Rainer
June 25, 2001
Peter Rainer, New York Magazine

It's a truly prodigious piece of work, resembling a career summation far more than a maiden voyage. Full Review

Roger Moore
May 14, 2001
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

There aren't many films coming out of Hollywood that work on this many levels.

Susan Stark
April 27, 2001
Susan Stark, Detroit News

[Inarritu] may well be the millennium's first new master film maker. Full Review

Geoff Pevere
April 27, 2001
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

Stylishly gritty. Full Review

Desson Thomson
April 20, 2001
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Definitely fierce and most definitely human. Full Review

Richard Schickel
April 18, 2001
Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

[The] sense that even hair-trigger lives, always poised on the edge of self-destructive lunacy, deserve to be sympathetically understood is Amores Perros' redeeming grace. Full Review

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Amores Perros Trivia

  • Besides Amores Perros, Alejandro González Iñarritu directed a movie starring Naomi Watts, Benicio del Toro, and Sean Penn. What movie is it?  Answer »
  • From which movie does this tagline come from: "Love is betrayal. Love is anguish. Love is sin. Love is selfish. Love is hope. Love is pain. Love is death. What is love? Love's a bitch.   Answer »
  • Which of the following movies was NOT directed by Alfonso Cuarón?  Answer »
  • He was the director of "Babel", "21 Grams" and "Amores Perros"   Answer »
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