Rent Los Olvidados (1950)

Gripping Portrayal of Poverty - Los Olvidados review by griggs

Luis Buñuel’s The Young and the Damned is a gripping portrayal of poverty’s crushing grip on youth, delivered with raw, unflinching honesty. Buñuel’s sharp eye for human behaviour and biting social critique make this a haunting experience, blending gritty realism with moments of surrealism that feel both brutal and poetic. Its themes—violence, survival, and lost innocence—resonate deeply, drawing a clear line to the vibrant chaos of City of God. While Buñuel’s film lacks the kinetic energy and slickness of the latter, its stark simplicity hits harder. The unrelenting focus on desperation and fractured morality ensures it stays with you. Buñuel doesn’t just tell a story; he immerses us in a world stripped of sentimentality, and his immersive storytelling captivates and absorbs us forcing us to confront its harsh truths. There’s a timeless universality here, and Buñuel’s fearless storytelling proves mesmerising and deeply unsettling.