The trailer and description of this movie would have you believe this is a movie current to times that is going to address real issues. In fact, it is a politically motivated demi piece of propaganda that is neither interesting nor entertaining.
One gets the feeling that when this movie was being made no one knew what it was going to be.Was it going to be a critique on the obstacles a gay couple faces? A critique on the US immigration system? A comedy? Drama?
First the good, the film contains some beautiful shots of Pilsen and the Back of the Yards neighborhoods of Chicago. As well as a beautiful undescript town in Mexico. I have tried so hard to find the name of the town but have not been successful. I also applaud the casting of the film because the 2 protagonists aren't traditionally attractive based on Hollywood standards. We clearly see the stretchmarks around Diego's stomach, the hair on his back. We see the less than toned bodies of both protagonists engage in love scenes. This is much more realistic than the chisled, hairless bodies many people still think are requisites to show male homosexuals.
The protagonists also have contrasting personalities. Both are out and not ashamed of their sexual identity but in Diego's words, he is more than who he sleeps with and has varied interests. He is a mechanic, he loves ska, punk, fusion music. Another endearing and well-done scene involves Abel and Diego at a concert. Abel works for a youth gay-rights organization, loves to spend time in Boystown( gay neighborhood) and loves to be part of the "gay community."
This is where the good ends. A deep dark secret is revealed. The woman with whom Diego lives with is not his mom, it is his aunt. This only comes to light when we find out Diego's biological mom is dying in Mexico. To add to the intrigue, Diego is undocumented, having no legal status in the United States. Abel becomes angry almost like Diego just revealed he has 2 kids from 2 previous marriages. In fact Abel becomes annoying because as open as he claims to be, he can't understand why Diego wouldn't have revealed this to him earlier. A huge failure on the part of the writer/director.
Also, it is well known that in places like Dallas and Chicago, you can't into bars without a valid US id. While it is selectively enforced, I have gone out with friends who are undocumented and it's a roulette as to where we'll be able to get in even when friends have presented foreign gov't issued ids. One must wonder what it's like when tourists come to visit, but I'm told passports are acceptable. In any case, this becomes a much bigger issue than necessary in the movie.
Abel decides that he is going to help Diego and purchase plane tickets to go visit his dying mother in Mexico even though they haven't spoken in years. With undocumented individuals, the problem isn't leaving, it's that you can't get back. In many ways, this was a missed opportunity. If we want to talk about a broken immigration system, why not talk about the fact that people leave their country to immigrate illegally with the knowledge they may never see their loved ones again and many times lose a mother, father or sibling and can't go to a funeral because they can't come back.
Abel and Diego arrive in Mexico and make it just as Diego's mom has died. They are greeted by Diego's sister( who knew he had one?). It is at this moment, where one of my biggest points of contention come up. Diego,Abel, Diego's sister and his Aunt Lily are played by Latino actors but none of the 4 speak Spanish in a credible way. Aunt Lily sounds like she's lived in South Texas all her life with little exposure to Spanish, Abel sounds like a native English speaker when he speaks Spanish and Diego is hit and miss, if the dialogue is short he can do it fine. Make it a few sentences longer and it goes south. Magically, Diego's sister speaks English flawlessly and we are never clued in to why this is? Of course, you can grow up in the US, be of Spanish speaking immigrants and not know Spanish well but we are all lead to believe the actors are fluent in Spanish. Although this isnt noticeable to non-Spanish speakers, it comes across as inauthentic.
After Diego's mother's death, his sister insists they have a good time. This involves a lot of drinking and eating over several days. Eventually, the question of how is Diego going to get back must be addressed. Abel tells Diego, that he will not leave him and that if Diego has to enter smuggled, he will take that journey with him. Diego protests, insisting the journey is dangerous and uncertain and Abel shows his love conquers all attitude by insisting that he knows (does he really?).
Diego's sister makes arrangements for them to be smuggled across the border. By the way, it's around this time it's implied she is a lesbian. As Abel and Diego talk about the journey and the dangers of it, Abel recalls a saying his grandfather had, "Pendejo el que se muere." In short, you only die if you're a dumb ass to reassure Diego things will be fine. Well, it turns out this was a self-fulfilling prophecy.
They arrive at the border and are put in the back of a cargo truck with others hoping to enter the US. In the back of the truck, a smuggler rides along with them in order to keep watch. One night among loud protests from a female immigrant it is discovered the smuggler is trying to rape her at knife point. One could argue that using rape as a plot-device is lazy or one could take it as the smuggler who is clearly described as a "white-guy" AKA US citizen is one of the rapists Donald Trump says Mexican immigrants are. More on the political undertones later. Abel protests to Diego that they can't allow the rape to happen and both protest verbally. Abel wants to become a hero and tries to lunge at the attacker. The attacker wielding a knife fights Abel off and holds him at knife-point. Around this time, the would-be rapist lets it come out that Diego and Abel are homosexuals. For a few moments after Diego's protests, it appears the would-be rapist is going to let Abel go. Suddenly he decides to stab Abel twice, almost killing him instantly. Another of the immigrants grabs the smuggler by the neck and snaps it, killing the smuggler. It is at this moment one realizes, Abel had no idea how hard the journey would be or that you are at the mercy of the smugglers when you make this journey. His privilege as a person living in the US made him feel he had a right to stand up to the smuggler and come out on top. Another nice thing about the movie is the message that while.the US is far from perfect, there are many things to be grateful for. One could argue this point for hours, I won't get into it. In short, he died because he wasn't aware of his situation and in many ways he was the pendejo (dumb-ass) his grandfather talked about.
The truck makes it to Chicago with 2 cadavers(Abel and the smuggler). Diego is devastated. A few weeks later Diego is given a package left from Abel with a letter that he wrote almost knowing he was going to die. We don't see what else is in the package until the end. Diego is in a vehicle with Abel's roomate and his own friend Braulio (who gived a pretty awful performance as a stereotypical gay "queen." They are at the DMV and it is revealed Abel left Diego all the necessary documents to assume his identity. MORE QUESTIONS, so is Abel reported as disappeared? Just like he vanished or never died. Diego is hesitant because he and Abel were only together for 6 months. He goes through and assumes Abel's identity which will allow him to have a license and many other things he couldn't have before.
The movie is poliically charged, to me it addresses little about the broken immigration system. Yes, Diego is brought here as a child but many of the actions were unnecessary. Abel could have married Diego in Mexico and petitioned for him if push really came to shove as we are led to believe, something that wouldn't have been possible 6-7 years ago. If Abel loved Diego enough to prepare a package for Diego to assume his identity what was really stopping him from marriage. I know it's not that simple but the film tries to be too clever and it isn't successful.
The director clearly doesn't like Pres. Trump or his policies and intersects the movie with clips from a Chicago radio show where the DJs criticize then candidate Trump.
We won't know for years how the President's policies have truly impacted the country so it seems a bit premature to make a film criticizing him as if the topic of the film has to do with a specific policy. How often are films that are made in the moment or shortly after a historical event really reflective of the mood, long-lasting effects or impact.
Could've been good but it wasn't at all.
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