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"The Son-in-Law": Succeeding at the Expense of Anything and Anyone
🇲🇽 Mexico /Culture & Society

"The Son-in-Law": Succeeding at the Expense of Anything and Anyone

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • A new film, "El yerno" (The Son-in-Law), directed by Gerardo Naranjo, satirizes Mexican politics through the rise of a bus fleet administrator.
  • The movie explores hidden deals, betrayals, and ambition, focusing on the transformation of the protagonist into a charismatic but dangerous prosecutor.
  • Starring Adrián Vázquez, the film uses dark humor and relatable power dynamics instead of explicit violence to depict the corrupting influence of power.

Gerardo Naranjo's new film, "El yerno" (The Son-in-Law), offers a political satire that feels uncomfortably close to Mexico's current political landscape. The movie traces the improbable rise of José Sánchez, a man who transitions from managing a bus fleet to becoming a powerful political operator, driven by ambition and a stroke of luck.

Passing from managing a bus fleet to a political operator seems impossible, but in "El yerno" a stroke of luck is enough for José Sánchez to discover how far he is willing to go to succeed.

— El UniversalDescription of the film's premise.

The narrative delves into a world of secret agreements, betrayals, and unchecked ambition. A key focus is Sánchez's transformation into "El Serpiente" (The Serpent), a prosecutor who is as charismatic as he is dangerous. Actor Adrián Vázquez carries much of the film's weight, skillfully portraying Sánchez's constant shifts between failure, humor, and menace.

Between hidden deals, betrayals, and unbridled ambition, the film builds a story that moves quickly and finds its best moments in the transformation of José Sánchez into “El Serpiente,” a prosecutor as charismatic as he is dangerous.

— El UniversalDescribing the film's plot and character development.

Unlike other productions that rely on explicit violence or gritty depictions of drug trafficking and corruption, "El yerno" finds its strength in its sharp humor, witty dialogue, and the unnerving recognizability of its characters and power dynamics. The film is recommended for audiences who enjoy stories of ascent and downfall, political satires, or movies that examine the gray areas of power in Mexico with a touch of dark comedy.

Much of the film's weight rests on Adrián Vázquez (SáncheZ), who manages to keep his character constantly moving between failure, humor, and threat.

— El UniversalPraising the lead actor's performance.

The ensemble cast also features Verónica Bravo, Jero Medina, Natalia Téllez, Ianis Guerrero, Lalo España, Mauro Sánchez Navarro, and Rodrigo Virago. The film is available on Netflix.

Without betting on explicit violence or the crudeness of other productions about drug trafficking and corruption, "El yerno" finds strength in acidic humor, in the dialogues, and in how recognizable many of its characters and power dynamics are.

— El UniversalHighlighting the film's unique approach to its themes.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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