Gerardo Naranjo’s third film, a sharp Mexican thriller, I’m Gonna Explode (2008) is a shot of energy into a familiar cinematic genre ‘young love on the run’ taking inspiration from films like Arthur Penn’s Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and Terrence Malick’s Badlands (1973). Filmed in the historic city of Guanajuato, a Word Heritage site, it tells the story of Roman (Juan Pablo de Santiago) and Maru (Maria Deschamps), two troubled teenagers, attempting an impossible rebellion against the adult world. Maru, a sullen pouting15-year-old loner, meets Roman, the reckless son of a corrupt rightwing politician. United by their desire to fight the apathy that they feel surrounding them, the two embark on a revolt against everything and everyone when they decide to runaway to a place where they are free of other people’s expectations and demands. With the police and their parents in hot pursuit, this leads them to a new intimacy and the discovery of their sexuality, which in turn unites and confuses them. Produced by Gael Garcia Bernal (Amores perros 2000, Bad Education 2004, Motorcycle Diaries 2004, Babel 2006) and Diego Luna (Milk 2008, Rudo Cursi 2008) the film was the breakout winner at 2009’s Guadalajara Film Festival, the national showcase for Mexican film. Naranjo describes his film as ‘a diary of ideas with music, written word and internal dialogue’ As with a great deal of modern Mexican cinema, this film is well worth watching, with two young stars that hold your attention throughout, superb shooting and cutting, along with a soundtrack that beautifully frames and enriches your enjoyment of the screen images.
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