Gael García Bernal is a film director, actor, and producer from Mexico who is becoming well known in the United States for his extensive work in film and TV, including the Golden Globe-winning show "Mozart in the Jungle" from Amazon. Even though he is just now gaining fame in the United States, he has been around for many years, having gotten his start in acting at the age of 11.
If you're interested in diving into his filmography, you're in luck. Because Bernal has starred in such a diverse array of films, there is something for almost anyone. Wondering where to start? I've compiled a list of some of his best films!
1. If you love action and crime drama
Try Amores Perros (2000). This film is reminiscent of the 2005 Oscar-winning movie "Crash," as it follows three intertwining storylines. The title translates to love’s a b***h. Amores Perro finds the poetry, despite the harsh reality of that statement. It is directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, who also directed "Birdman" and the Leonardo DiCaprio film, "The Revenant." This was actually one of the first films I saw of Bernal, during a cinema course I took my freshman year at NC State University. You could also watch Babel (2006), also directed by González Iñárritu and starring Brad Pitt.
2. If you like thought-provoking, coming-of-age stories
Try Y Tu Mamá También (2001). This is, perhaps, Bernal's most famous film -- notorious for its scenes of sexual exploration. However, this film has a lot more hidden beneath its surface and is one of my all-time favorite movies. The director of this movie, Alfonso Cuarón, also directed "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."
3. If you're into artsy films or LGBTQ+ stories
Try La Mala Educación (2004). The film focuses on two reunited childhood friends and lovers caught up in a stylized murder mystery. The director Pedro Almodóvar is well known for his use of colors, especially red, in his films.
4. If you've got wanderlust
Try Los Diarios de Motocicleta (2004). This biopic follows young Ernesto 'Che' Guevara on his travels around South America that inspired his later political/social movements. There are some beautiful landscapes to take in that will inspire any traveler.
5. If you like quirky stories about relationships
Try La Science des rêves (2006). This is another of my all-time favorite films. It is so imaginative and captures the volatility of both dreams and love. With scenes in French, Spanish, and English, it comes from the same director as "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and centers around a man who has difficulty discerning between reality and dreams.
6. If you're a fan of documentaries
Try Who is Dayani Cristal? (2004). In this documentary film, Bernal follows the route of a Central American immigrant, after an unidentified body is found in a desert in the southwestern United States. If the topic of immigration interests you, you can also check out his fictional film, Desierto (2016).
7. If you love history and literature
Try Neruda (2016). Pablo Larraín’s semi-fantastical biopic about the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda blends fact with invention. It tells the story of a confrontation between an artist and an emerging dictatorship and illuminates the endless struggle between political authority and the creative imagination.
8. If you like romance and tragedy
Try El Crimen del Padre Amaro (2002). This is a story of entangled relationships and complex morality, following a priest who falls for one of the members of his church.
9. If you like movies about political movements
Try No (2012). This film, inspired by true events, features an ad executive who comes up with a campaign to defeat dictator Augusto Pinochet in Chile's 1988 referendum. If you want a more modern story, you can also check out Rosewater (2014), about a journalist who is arrested and then imprisoned in Iran.
10. If you enjoy animated movies and family-friendly films
Try Coco (2017). This beautifully animated film from Disney-Pixar is all about family. Bernal voices Héctor in this heartwarming and fun movie.
11. If you like rom-coms
Try Letters to Juliet (2010) or A Little Bit of Heaven (2011). Apparently in the early 2010's Bernal ventured into a couple American-produced romantic comedies. Check him out opposite Amanda Seyfried in "Letters to Juliet" or with Kate Hudson in "A Little Bit of Heaven."
There are a number of other films starring Bernal that are worth watching, but I hope you use this list to start exploring some of his top movies. ¡Disfruta!
