Rudo y Cursi is a comedy set in Mexico about brothers, soccer and sibling rivalry.

Both Beto (Diego Luna) and Tato (Gael Garcia Bernal) work at a banana plantation, both play soccer for the village team and both compete for the affection of their mother. Each promises he'll build his mama her dream house one day.

When an agent (Guillermo Francella) comes to town and sees the locals play soccer, he's immediately drawn to the brothers. But he can only choose one player to take with him to Mexico City, and his choice is decided in a penalty kick. It's Tato. The two brothers continue fighting, but only Tato is going to Mexico City this time.

Beto stays home in the village, gambling away whatever he has.

Tato, who really aspires to be a singer, begins to find success as a soccer player. Before too long, he gets a nickname -- Cursi, which means corny -- and a contract to make a record and a video. He makes what is possibly the most idiotic video extant. He gets a fancy house and an SUV.

And above all, he gets romance with a gorgeous TV personality and golddigger (played by Jessica Mas). He's enjoying the good life, and he sends for his brother to share some of it.

Now Beto also begins to have a successful soccer career, and he too gets a nickname: Rudo. Rudo means tough, and Rudo is one tough goalie. Success means he can gamble to his heart's content, too.

How wonderful that both boys have become so successful. How funny that mama's dream house will eventually be built by her son-in-law, a drug lord.

Cursi has his hair streaked blonde and he sees himself as a superstar, but his soccer game begins to fall off. Nobody cares about his video, either. Rudo is doing too much coke and gambling too much to be any good at the game. His gambling debts will sink him, if his brother doesn't sink him on the soccer field first.

Rudo y Cursi is very funny, albeit wildly politically incorrect. There's a running gag about mama, and how all the kids in the family have different fathers; Rudo and Cursi are both the butt of jokes for being such hicks from hicksville; everyone is mocked for his upward mobility, bad taste and moral elasticity.

Rudo y Cursi is a rags-to-riches comedy written and directed by Carlos Cuaron, who also wrote Y tu mama tambien.

The film, which is a huge hit in Mexico, is lightweight and often very funny, but there's a cruel edge to the laughs that left this viewer vaguely uncomfortable.

Rudo y Cursi is in Spanish with English subtitles.

(This film is rated 18-A)

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