Ciudades Oscuras (2002)

The Mexican drama Ciudades oscuras (2002) aka Dark Cities travels deep in the underbelly of Mexico City to tell various stories interwoven into one larger tale that follows a depressing cast of characters that just might require the viewer to keep a scorecard to keep from being confused. There’s the prostitute Lola (Dolores Heredia), her junkie son Fede (Diego Luna), and her friend Zeze (Zaide Silvia Gutierrez) and her daughter Susana (Jimena Ayala), and the drug addicted Vicente (Roberto Sosa). Throw in a couple of corrupt cops Rubio and Riquelme (Alejandro Tommasi and Jesús Ochoa), along with the dudes Chicken and Casimiro (Hector Suarez and Alonso Echanove), who each spill their guts out to the same sympathetic bartender Mario (Demian Buchir), and you’ve got a depressive barnburner that is highlighted by moments of murder, assault, and suicide. And during a moment of violent and unacceptable behavior, like a dim light attempting to cut through the somber darkness, Jesús Ochoa flashes his fanny as he gets his hump on with his wife. Some girls have all the luck!