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Sin Nombre Stars: Paulina Gaitan, Edgar Flores, Kristyan Ferrer, Tenoch Huerta Mejia and Diana Garcia Director/Scriptwriter: Cary Fukunaga Composer: Marcelo Zarvos Cinematography: Adriana Goldman Focus Features Rating: R for violence, language and sexual content Spanish language (subtitled) Running Length: 97 minutes Cary Fukunaga’s feature length writing and directing debut Sin Nombre shows creative depth, styling and emotion more than most projects by seasoned film makers. Cary submerges the viewer into the Mexican gang world in a movie that many times feels more like a stark documentary than a fictional tale. But at the core it is as beautiful as it is brutal. A story that will touch your soul with its portrayal of the human search for freedom. El Casper (Edgar Flores) is an older teen struggling with his loyalty to the Mexican gang he once thought of as family. He encounters a young girl named Sayra (Paulina Gaitan) who is illegally making her way to America with her father to start a new life. Their journey together becomes one of salvation and survival as she tries to stay a step ahead of immigration and Casper a step ahead of the gang trying to seek vengeance. Their friendship is a touching expression that at the heart of everyone is the passion for life invested in another. They each long to help the other reach their destination even if it means sacrificing their own. As the film states, “the greatest sin of all is risking nothing”. When talking to Fukunaga you hear the passion he had for creating a story that was true in its form and factual in its character development. Cary explains, “In writing the script a lot of my work was sort of doing passes for each character and really developing their arc. Making sure that each scene existed for the purpose of advancing the story or the emotional journey of the characters.” The gang members, though actors, give the impression of a life lived in this world. More than once I lost myself in their performances. It truly was as if I was initiated into their lifestyle simply by observing. Fukunaga talked about how he achieved this, “It entailed interviewing immigrants or groups that work with immigrants, police and going into the prisons to interview gang members to ascertain what role they play in this world. The newspapers would always say they were involved in immigration but I could never figure out how since they weren’t actually smuggling. So it took me a long time to get to the truth because it is really hard to get them to talk about how they make their money. I spent about two years with a small group of them in order to whittle down the group to a few I felt where the most honest. The contacts I had with the gangs where extremely helpful being copy editors as well. We would bring them the Spanish versions of these gang scenes and they would fix it.” Rated R for violence, language and some sexual content it is adult in its themes and imagery. Yet nothing is wasted or added simply for shock value. Each movement and spoken word is essential to the overall package. This film stayed with me for hours after viewing. I found my emotions so awakened that to simply move on after leaving the theater was not an easy process. Sadly this film will be looked over by some as mere violent sensationalism or another foreign film that is non relatable. But to do so is to miss one of the truly better films to emerge in some time and especially from a fresh face. I give Sin Nombre 5 out of 5 stars. Be sure and check your local art house theaters and make every effort to view this incredible film.
For additional reviews, interview clips and great DVD giveaways, visit the website www.mungleshow.com
Review copyright 2009 Mungleshow Productions. Used by Permission.
The land of the free, and just what is the cost of freedom for some? Cary Fukunaga’s story is of a small group of Central American immigrants who try to cross the border into Texas and freedom from such things as poverty or gang wars. The Mara Salvatrucha gang is prominently featured in the story and how a gang dominates its territory, its members and anyone associated with it. Little dictatorships and you can see from this film that on a larger scale, this intimidation is happening world-wide now and in the past. The lure of power is great and when received, consumes. Sin Nombre follows Sayra (Paulina Gaitan) who is in her teens and in Honduras. She wants a different life and finally has a chance when her father and uncle invite her to go with them to America. They will pay a coyote (guide) to take them illegally. In the meantime, in another storyline, Willy (also known as Casper and played by Edgar Flores) is a member of the Mara Salvatrucha gang headed by Lil’ Mago (Tenoch Huerta Mejia), loaded with tattoos, attitude and a gnarlish way of dealing with people. Willy introduces a new prospect to the gang, Smiley (Kristyan Ferrer), who is about 12 years old, but a street orphan and a gang is a family to him. The kid is tough and through gang tests becomes a gang member. What Willy has been keeping secret is his girlfriend, Martha (Diana Garcia). When Lil’ Mago finds out there are tragic circumstances and Willy is on the run. This is where he meets with Sayra and her family. As the group goes further north, the gang, with Smiley, is right behind them, through traveling by foot and riding the top of a train. Can they reach the American border? Sin Nombre is a violent movie. Gang members lead violent lives and though talk about being humble and kind to members of their “gang family,” really exploit everyone. Those without families are particularly vulnerable and the younger, the better. There are fights between gangs and shootings and knifings are common. To live into one’s twenties is almost to live into old age. Traveling toward Texas is no picnic, either. There is inclement weather, hanging onto the top of a moving train, running from guards or robbers and trying to protect oneself, particularly difficult for women. Though many of the gang leaders have little schooling, they are crafty and street-smart. Edgar Flores as Willy barely shows emotion, yet his body language conveys it all. On the other hand, Paulina Gaitan’s Sayra is all emotion. Tenoch Huerta Mejia’s Lil’ Mago gives us a portrait of a person with venom in his veins. The scene stealer is Kristyan Ferrer as the young Smiley, who matures almost overnight from a kid into a threat. Marcello Zarvos’ music (“Hollywoodland”) is energetic. Adriana Goldman’s photography makes riding the top of a train beautiful and sunsets are colorful, but then, so is blood and there is plenty of it here. Sin Nombre has two separate stories that intertwine with people from both sides not knowing much about each other. One side goes on faith and sometimes, on the run, this is all you have. Copyright 2009 Marie Asner
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