De ida u vuelia (2000) from Johnny Web (Uncle Scoopy; Greg Wroblewski)
Mexican film about the plight of migrant workers who are forced to choose between illegal work in the USA, rural poverty in Mexico, or squalid urban poverty in Mexico. The title means "round trip" - the lead character goes to the States and comes back again.

NUDITY REPORT
two strippers are seen topless, one clearly in a prolonged scens
Currently a Blockbuster exclusive DVD

  • widescreen letterboxed, 1.85:1

Filiberto first seeks his future in the States as an illegal worker. When he returns, his little village is in turmoil, and things are not as he expected them. The previous landlord's son is now in charge and is greedily grabbing up land from the poor people by hook and crook. One family harassed by the landlord consists of Filiberto's former girlfriend (who broke her promise to wait for him) and his cousin (who broke his promise not to approach the ex-girlfriend).

It is a bleak, sometimes darkly humorous little story about the exploitation of the innocent.

The Critics Vote

  • nominated for four Ariels, was awarded at several film festivals

  • no reviews online

 

 

The People Vote ...

  • IMDB summary. IMDb voters score it 6.9/10 (Meaningless. Only 16 votes)
  • with their dollars: made for a modest $12 million dollars, it grossed $39 million in the USA (1600 screens), $33 million elsewhere.
IMDb guideline: 7.5 usually indicates a level of excellence, about like three and a half stars from the critics. 6.0 usually indicates lukewarm watchability, about like two and a half stars from the critics. The fives are generally not worthwhile unless they are really your kind of material, about like two stars from the critics. Films under five are generally awful even if you like that kind of film, equivalent to about one and a half stars from the critics or less, depending on just how far below five the rating is.

My own guideline: A means the movie is so good it will appeal to you even if you hate the genre. B means the movie is not good enough to win you over if you hate the genre, but is good enough to do so if you have an open mind about this type of film. C means it will only appeal to genre addicts, and has no crossover appeal. D means you'll hate it even if you like the genre. E means that you'll hate it even if you love the genre. F means that the film is not only unappealing across-the-board, but technically inept as well.

Based on this description, this film is a C-. Small, sincere movie of little appeal to those without a specific interest in the situation.

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