SIN NOMBRE Post-Release Discussion

I saw the movie a couple of weeks ago and thought it was fantastic and I'm glad to see it getting some love on this site.
It's actually one of the few movies I wanted to be longer...I felt it moved a little too fast.

But anyway, great review for a great movie...keep up the good work Russ. I do enjoy reading your reviews.

Thanks for the review!

The movie really reminded me of El Norte, although this one is less depressing. The main differences are the gang angle and the fact that the movie doesn't really say much about life in the US.

It's also more detailed on how you would make it all the way from Central America to the US, and it's these scenes, groups of immigrants not knowing each other but slowly marching and riding trains to the same destination that I find the most compelling. Sayra's father pretty much sums up the tragedy of the situation, most of them won't make it, their whole trip is futile.

SPOILERS ...

It was sad, but I really liked the way they dealt with the death of Sayra's father. Just happens pretty quickly and unexpectedly. He just falls and disappears, just like that and a thing that is totally realistic and not unexpected. What was unclear to me was what happened to her brother. The guy with them told Sayra that he was caught by the "migra" (which wasn't really the migra, they looked like Mexican police) but then at the end you see him crossing a river. Was he going back home or resuming his trip to the US?

Would have also liked a bit more background on Casper. Yes he says his life sucks, but you don't know much about him nor how he ended up with that gang. Did he run away, did his parents die? We don't need an origin story but he could have been fleshed out more.

I also wished they didn't telegraph the ending that much, Sayra's quote about her aunt (or some other relative) saying that she had a vision/dream of her reaching the US but "in the hands of the devil" was a bit too obvious. It reminded me a bit also about that lady in the village in el Norte who (I think) gives them a "prophesy" of what will happen in Mayan.

Kind of funny to see that a SAM's club is the indicator of "now we're in the US". Was expecting to see a shot of the globe Casper talked about at what sounded like a Boeing manufacturing plant.

From what I understand, "La Migra" doesn't just refer to US law enforcement, but to border patrol in general.

Had the pleasure of seeing this a few weeks ago and loved it. Hopefully we'll be seeing more from Fukunaga in the near future.

Just watched this, and I can hardly believe this was a first time writer/director at work.  Aside from ElCapitan's critique about the psychic aunt line, it was remarkably restrained in its writing, and the cinematography was gorgeous without crossing into ostentatious.  Really looking forward to what Fukunaga has coming up in the future (after Jane Eyre, anyway.  Austen's not my cup of tea). 

 

The three main characters are all fantastic, and Lil Mago makes for an extremely memorable villain despite limited screentime.  In a just world this would open all kinds of doors for the lot of them.  Can't recommend this highly enough; it's like a simultaneously larger-scale and more intimate City of God.

Glad you resurrected this one, Schwartz.  I saw this last summer and remember enjoying it thoroughly.  I need to see it again and soon.