Roma Review: 6 Ups & 2 Downs

5. Yalitza Aparicio's Oscar-Worthy Performance

Yalitza Aparicio gives a mesmerising performance as protagonist Cleo, and it's all the more impressive as it's Aparicio's first ever performance in anything ever.

While Aparicio is likely to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination, the win's a decidedly tougher prospect what with fierce competition from Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born) and especially the long-overdue Glenn Close (The Wife).

What works against Aparicio slightly isn't just her lack of star power but also the more subdued, less-showy nature of her performance.

There isn't a single scene where she's called to shout hysterically or rattle off a lengthy monologue: she spends large chunks of the movie completely silent and telling a story with her face and her eyes in particular.

Its a wonderfully restrained feat of acting that's tough to make an awards reel out of, but if she does somehow beat out both Gaga and Close, it'll be thoroughly deserved.

With a lesser performance, Roma's final emotional punch wouldn't land with anywhere near as much force.