Your Next Watch: Güeros

If you’ve ever wondered what a Mexican New Wave film might look like, Güeros is a near-perfect example. Directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios, this black-and-white indie blends humor, politics, and sharp self-awareness to explore growing up, identity, and the search for meaning in contemporary Mexico.

The story follows Tomás, a rebellious teenager sent from Veracruz to live with his older brother Sombra and Sombra’s roommate, Santos, in Mexico City. The two college students are technically on strike—but claim they’re “boycotting the strike” by doing absolutely nothing. Their lazy routine changes when Tomás finds an old cassette tape of a forgotten musician named Epigmenio Cruz, a singer who supposedly once made Bob Dylan cry. The three friends decide to track him down, starting a strange and aimless road trip through Mexico City’s chaotic streets.

Ruizpalacios packs the film with creative details, like scenes where the film literally “runs out of reel,” incorporating background radio sounds that blend into the story, and references to old French New Wave movies like The 400 Blows. Shot in crisp black and white, Güeros makes Mexico City feel both gritty and dreamlike—caught somewhere between nostalgia and decay.

Each character handles disappointment differently. Sombra feels paralyzed and uncertain; Tomás is curious but naïve; and Ana, a student activist, still believes in the possibility of change. Their conversations and conflicts feel natural—equal parts awkward, funny, and sincere. Even the title, Güeros (a slang term for “light-skinned people”), hints at deeper themes about privilege and identity.

When they finally meet Cruz, it’s not the big moment they imagined—and that’s exactly the point. Güeros isn’t really about finding a hero. It’s about learning to care again, and about searching for purpose in a confusing world.