Pete’s Peek | Teen angst in Mexican indie I’m Gonna Explode | Movie Talk | What's on TV

From Mexican indie director, Gerardo Naranjo, comes I'm Gonna Explode - a reckless, carefree exercise in teen angst. When loner Maru meets Roman, the suicidal son of a wealthy politician, the two teens bond over their anger with the world around them.

In an act of revolt they pretend to run away, but in fact hide out on the roof of Roman's home - which overlooks the provincial Mexican town of Guanajuato, another object of their frustrations as they both desire a new life in Mexico City.

While their parents wait for news of their whereabouts, Roman and Maru discover more about each other - leading to their first, furtive attempts at sex. But when they decide to leave their sanctuary to attend a birthday party, reality hits home with dire consequences.

Free-flowing like the characters themselves, this existential tragedy reminded me of Rebel Without a Cause crossed with Lindsay Anderson's If. The youths' actions may not be well-grounded (pointless, actually), but their discovery of each other shows that however alienated we might feel, our perfect partner is out there - somewhere.

I'm Gonna Explode (Voy a explotar) is a slow-burner that's worth the effort, thanks to the wonderful performances of the two leads, Naranjo's unique vision, and the stunning Mexican setting (well worth the visit, I might add).

Out now. In Spanish with subtitles http://youtube.com/v/SY-vg0djU04