Roma Review: 6 Ups & 2 Downs

Will it be Netflix's first Best Picture winner?

By Jack Pooley /

Netflix

If you're even remotely keeping an eye on 2019's Oscar race, you're likely well aware that Alfonso Cuarón's new movie Roma is a front-runner for the Best Picture Academy Award.

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And while most artsy awards picks tend to have a staggered theatrical release, Roma is in fact available now on Netflix for those not fortunate enough to have a nearby cinema playing it.

So, does the much buzzed-about period drama live up to the hype?

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For the overwhelming majority, yes - Roma is a richly rewarding, deeply engaging film, and certainly among the strongest efforts of Cuarón's enviable filmography.

Though some may feel put at a distance by his sometimes detached, quietly observational filmmaking style, the brutally humanistic performances and almost impossibly picturesque cinematography help make Roma a feast for both the heart and eyes.

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Whether or not the movie ends up taking Best Picture or it's pipped to the gold statue by fellow front-runner A Star Is Born, there's little denying that Roma is one of 2018's most sumptuous, evocative and unforgettable movie-going experiences...