22 Best Mexican Movies on Netflix (2020)

1. I’m No Longer Here (Ya no estoy aquí)

Gorgeous, touching tale of a teen immigrant from Monterrey, Mexico.

In 2011, 17-year-old Ulises leads a gang called Los Terkos dedicated to the Kolombia or Cholombiano subculture. This lifestyle consists of dancing and listening to cumbia rebajada, a slowed-down version of Colombian cumbia. Los Terkos dress in bright, baggy clothes and sport homemade, eccentric hairdos.

After a misunderstanding with a local cartel, Ulises flees to the immigrant community of Jackson Heights, Queens to save his life.

This absorbing story is told in flashbacks. The nonprofessional actors bring great authenticity to the dialogue as well as the dance scenes.

Stick around for the end of the credits for behind-the-scenes footage of the young actors.

Some slang you’ll hear:

• sobres – Northern Mexican slang for “OK” or “Right on!”
• al chile – Mexican slang for “for real” or “seriously”
• morro(a) – Northern Mexican slang for “kid” or “dude.” Está morro means someone is young.

2. Roma

If you loved Roma, you can also watch the making-of documentary.

3. Lorena, la de pies ligeros (Lorena, Light-Footed Woman)

^{No English subtitles available for YouTube trailer. Click to watch trailer on Netflix.}

This beautiful 28-minute documentary short tells the incredible story of Mexican runner Lorena Ramírez, who wins international ultramarathons in traditional dress and sandals.

Lorena lives a pastoral life in the mountains of Chihuahua as part of the indigenous Rarámuri community, also known as the Tarahumara. The Rarámuri are famed for their extraordinary long-distance running skills. The very word rarámuri means “light-footed.”

Some dialogue in Rarámuri.

4. How to Be a Latin Lover

Dialogue is a mix of Spanish and English, making it accessible for beginning learners.

5. Una historia de dos cocinas (A Tale of Two Kitchens)

This feel-good half-hour film takes an inspiring look at two celebrated sister restaurants on different sides of the US-Mexico border.

Set in both Mexico City and San Francisco, the documentary short explores the ways in which a restaurant can serve as a place of dignity and close-knit community.

6. Nadie sabrá nunca (No One Will Ever Know)

A mother and young son escape into a magical world of their imagination listening to radio plays and watching movies to transform the drudgery of their lives in rural Mexico.

7. El Alien y Yo

8. Mexicanos de Bronce

This gritty, absorbing documentary follows three prisoners who try to overcome feelings of despair and make sense of their lives behind bars — and on the outside — through rap.

9. La Dictadura Perfecta

Hilarious Mexican box-office smash by the director of Infierno about political corruption and media collusion with the government. The themes of this satire are universal, however. A long film but not a dull moment.

10. 07:19 La Hora del Temblor

The film’s title reflects the exact time when the devastating Sept. 19, 1985, Mexico City earthquake began.

11. La 4ª Compañía

12. El Club de los Insomnes

Original rom-com about an insomniac, an aspiring photographer, and a pregnant veterinarian who form a unique friendship during late-night meetings at a 24-hour mini-mart.

13. Ayotzinapa, el Paso de la Tortuga

A documentary about 43 Mexican students forcibly disappeared after being violently detained by police, and the unsatisfactory slow investigation that followed both at state and federal levels. Oscar-winning Mexican director Guillermo del Toro co-produced the film to ensure these voices are heard.

14. Bellas de Noche

Poignant portrait of the vedettes, former queens of the racy Mexican burlesque scene. A compassionate examination of what the aging process means for women in a profession in which success is predicated on youthful beauty and erotic appeal.

15. Verónica

Disturbing psychological thriller artfully shot in black and white about a reclusive psychologist who agrees to treat a troubled patient at her remote cabin.

Not to be confused with the Spanish horror movie of the same name. Builds at a slow, suspenseful pace to an astonishing twist at the end.

16. Semana Santa

A single mother, her boyfriend and her young son take a weeklong resort vacation, during which relationship strains take their toll.

A keenly observed film with subtle depth that examines dysfunctional family secrets against the backdrop of a decaying Acapulco.

Powerful and chilling film about teenage girls kidnapped and forced into prostitution in Tijuana.

18. Y Tu Mamá También

Erotic road movie about two hedonistic teens who convince an attractive older woman to embark on a beach trip with them.

A classic of modern Mexican cinema. Lots of crude slang.

19. Almacenados

This deceptively simple, slow-paced film pays off with its fine writing and superb acting. The dialogue is nicely paced for Spanish learners.

20. Todas las pecas del mundo (All the Freckles in the World)

^{No English subtitles available for YouTube trailer. Click to watch trailer on Netflix.}

Cute if predictable coming-of-age comedy set in Mexico City.

Thirteen-year-old José Miguel is immune to 1994 World Cup fever until he realizes soccer is the only way to win the heart of his crush.

21. Un abrazo de tres minutos (A 3 Minute Hug)

This powerful 28-minute documentary captures the joy and heartbreak of families separated by the US-Mexico border sharing a short, bittersweet reunion in 2018.

Executive-produced by Gael Garcia Bernal.

22. Como caído del cielo

^{No English subtitles available for YouTube trailer. Click to watch trailer on Netflix.}

Light-hearted Mexican comedy. To earn his place in heaven, legendary Mexican movie star Pedro Infante is sent back to Earth in an impersonator’s body to mend his womanizing ways.

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