Sin Nombre

"Sin Nombre" is a fantastic debut for Cary Joji Fukunaga - an epic about all the harrowing obstacles that illegal immigrants from Central America face before they ever even reach the U.S. border, if they even make it that far. You can appreciate this movie whatever your politics because it's refreshingly free of preaching and lectures and messages. I'm against illegal immigration but I still got caught up in it on an emotional level. Fukunaga simply presents a straightforward story concerning Sayra, a Honduran girl about 15 y/o and Willy, a Mexican boy a little older, maybe 17 y/o. The viewer is left to draw his or her own personal conclusions regarding the Big Picture of illegal immigration and Third World poverty and colonialism and imperialism and exploitation and economics and gangs and so on. I can remember seeing a TV newsmagazine segment a few years ago on how these migrants cross Mexico on the tops of cargo trains. Not inside the boxcars, but clinging to the tops of the cars. Apparently, the interiors of the cars are too dangerous because of bandits and/or rapists and murderers - both free-lance thugs and organized gangsters. At any rate, the whole scene is totally lawless. Anybody who attempts this journey is taking their life into their own hands. They're beset upon by not only the aforementioned bandits, but also the Mexican authorities, who seem entirely unsympathetic, to put it mildly. At the time I thought: "What a great premise for a movie!" Seems like Mr. Fukunaga agreed.I think the trailer gives away too much already, so I'll try to be careful what I say here. Willy is a member of Mara Salvatrucha and Sayra is making her way North when their paths intersect atop a train. Willy makes a moment-of-truth decision that permanently and irrevocably disrupts his life and suddenly binds the wide-eyed Sayra to his side from that instant on. Then the chase is on and it's a great one.This movie is not only extremely graphic, but also very true-to-life and thoroughly realistic. For example, there's a scene where an unarmed Willy is being hunted by two gunmen and I figured he would simply turn the tables on them and get their guns. After all, Sylvester Stallone would just laugh if it was a mere two killers after him, right? Sylvester would then easily kill them both bare-handed in a few seconds, right? Even with his eyes closed if he wanted to. But then I realized that Willy without his own gun and without his gang was just a scared boy running for his life like a rabbit. At that point, I realized just how good this movie was and I really got into it.Fukunaga gets uniformly fine low-key and histrionics-free performances out of his entire cast. Not a single weak link among all of them. The two leads are obvious standouts but there's a lot of superb work by the other actors. Lil' Mago is absolutely terrifying; a figure straight out of a nightmare but still seeming human. Martha Marlene is funny and very touching when we realize what her fate is going to be. Smiley is right on the money - a great peformance by a child actor. Scarface reminds us that not all of the Mara Salvatrucha are kids; some of them actually survive into their 30's and 40's and so on. I think the guy playing El Sol gets somewhat overlooked. His character doesn't have Lil' Mago's eerie appearance but he manages to be every bit as scary just the same.Also, Mr. Fukunaga clearly knows his Shakespeare. Willy has two different relationships that both echo "Romeo and Juliet" and there's a scene at the end that's a modern version of "Et tu, Brute?" from "Julius Caesar". But what I like most about him is his obstinacy. He was given a Sundance Studios green light to make a film and he came up with a Spanish language epic made in Mexico with an all-Hispanic cast. Not a single gringo in sight, but don't let the sub-titles discourage you from experiencing a top-notch, extremely well-made, deeply moving film. Go see it and buy the DVD when it comes out - it's that good.

Sin Nombre es a common expression in the hispanic culture, it means something without a clear explanation, preposterous, horrible. They say "no tiene nombre, sin nombre" (speechless, without words). Oh well, watching this move you can arrive to the same conclusion. Sin Nombre is what is happening in Central America and the South border. Call it colonialism, sectarianism, neoliberalism in its worse form since the Reagan era. Many of these displaced workers (illegal immigrants) are small farmers that could not compete and survive against American subsidies to its farmers and agriculture, guerrillas and governmental corruption. The gang Mara Salvatrucha is the sociological expression of this politcal dysfunction, triggered by a sin nombre foreign policy in the 80s and later. The movie shows alienation in its more pure expression. Great acting, production, pace, direction, script and background music.

Sin Nombre is a gripping and emotionally charged film that delves into the dangerous journey of Central American migrants. Director Cary Joji Fukunaga weaves parallel narratives together seamlessly, showcasing the harsh realities faced by individuals seeking a better life. The performances are authentic and powerful, with Edgar Flores delivering a standout performance. The film not only sheds light on the gang culture and socio-political factors driving migration, but also humanizes its characters. Although the pacing may feel slow at times and some secondary characters could have been explored further, Sin Nombre is an impactful must-watch that leaves a lasting impression.

Nice like new

This film shows the paths people take for the sake of a better life. The path and struggle for immigration is portrayed very sensitively in this film. One can't leave without having greater compassion towards those that must take this path to survive. In addition, other "paths" in life are depicted via a gang member coming to grips with the choices he has made and still has to make. Fine acting, simple yet clever film editing, and nice sound track sets the pace for both an artistic experience coupled with a thought provoking moment for the spectator. Always nice to see a foreign film succeed in presenting us North American viewers with a fine, gentle aesthetic and sensibility, well worthy of your time watching. Keep in mind, though, there are some violent scenes, one of which might repulse some viewers. However, having said that, these scenes are not excessively graphic and, thus, do NOT seem gratuitous; instead, they are purposeful to help the viewer understand the severity of the situations at hand. As a result, I give this film 5 stars, and if you are one who appreciates foreign films, who appreciates being challenged emotionally and intellecturally, then you will like this film. I have to say, I am now more sensitive to issues of immigration AND issues of violence from street gangs (and by implication of the poverty that leads to it) as a result of watching this film.

This influx into the States has been going on daily for a long time. It is features like this one that allow us to get a feeling for why this is happening. For many with a dream of a better life, the dangerous passage to the states has been an obvious choice.Just saying 'a better life' probably does not do justice to the pressures to escape.It should be born in mind though that desperate people are entering a land with settled people; they sometimes bring dangerous ways with them. There is a desire of many here not leading the gated community life or better not to have their own lives eroded.So, some insights into the situation here; some of the story well told.In the end, something is salvaged, yes. Always we wish an end to suffering; always there is suffering.But the director has not left kindness out.

すごく現実的というか、無情すぎるというか、落ちてる時には見ては行けない作品ですが、とっても心に刺さる作品です。

La pelicula es muy buena.Lo unico que no me gustó del DVD es que daba la opcion de sutitulos en español pero no funciona. Es una pena porque hay mucha jerga por parte de los Mara y se pierde algo.

Ein weiter Weg von Honduras nach New Yersey, ins gelobte Land Amerika: Sayra (Paulina Gaitan), ihr Vater Horacio (Gerardo Taracena) und dessen jüngerer Bruder Orlando (Guillermo Vilegas) versuchen über Guatemala und Mexico in die USA flüchten.Die Hexe des Ortes hat Sayra prophezeit, dass sie nicht mit Gottes, dafür aber mit des Teufels Hilfe ihr Ziel erreichen wird.Und dieser Teufel wird in der Gestalt des jungen Gangsters El Casper (Edgar Flores), der eigentlich Willy heisst, tatäschlich ihren Weg kreuzen und zwar auf dem mit Flüchtlingen vollbesetzten Dachs eines Güterzuges.Doch zuvor führt El Casper den kleinen Benito (Kristian Ferrer) als neues Gangmitglied ein.Die beiden sind Mitglieder des mexikanischen Ablegers der Jugendgang Mara Salvatrucha, auch bekannt als MS 13. Vor der Aufnahme muss sich El Smiley, wie Benito heissen wird, auch dem gängigen Aufnahmeritual der Mara Salvatrucha unterziehen. 13 Sekunden lang wird der Neuling von mehreren Gangmitgliedern zusammengeschlagen und getreten, wobei er sich unter keinen Umständen nicht wehren darf. Aber um von den anderen angesehen und respektiert zu werden, muss man als vollwertiges Mitglied der Mara Salvatrucha auch in der Lage sein, den Feind zu töten. Diese Mutprobe soll bestanden werden, ein Gangmitglied der rivalisienden Mara 18 wird von Smiley unter Mithilfe von Casper ausgelöscht.Ganz groß geschrieben wird die Ehrlichkeit und wer den Boss der Gang Lil Mago (Tenoch Huerta) anlpgt, der schwebt in Gefahr - wird entweder aus der Gang ausgeschlossen oder wird kurzerhand gekillt.Und Casper hat im Moment ein großes Geheimnis, seine große Liebe ist Martha (Diana Garcia). Da sie in einem anderen Stadtteil wohnt, ist das eine riskante Angelegenheit. Seine Gang darf dies nicht erfahren, denn die Gang verlässt ihren Bezirk nie und ausserdem behält sich der Chef vor die Schlampen der anderen "einzuführen" und zu genehmigen.Als die Lüge aufgedeckt wird, kommt es zur Katastrophe und zu Caspers Umdenken..."Sin Nombre" heisst übersetzt "Ohne Namen" und ist ein mexikanisch-amerikansicher Spielfilm von Neuling Cary Fukurlaga.Dieses starke Debüt, dass an Fernando Meirelles Jetzt schon-Klassiker "City of God" oder Bunuels "Los Olivados" erinnert, zeigt schonungslos einen Blick ins Ghetto und in die höchste Armut.Die Odyssee in die Vereinigten Staaten wird zu einer Reise des Lebens und zwei Schicksale sollen sich an einem bestimmten Punkt kreuzen und sich ein Stück weit auf dem Weg (wo immer dieser auch hinführen mag) begleiten.Dabei gelingt es auch in Punkto Kamera (Adriano Goldman) intensive Bilder und Akzente zu setzen, indem Impressionen gezeigt werden, die eindrücklich zwischen Schönheit und Hässlichkeit hin- und herschwanken und im Grunde auch ein Spiegelbild im Seelenleben der Protagonisten ausdrücken."Sin Nombre" hat Klassikerpotential...

on va suivre différends destins, celui de Casper -membre de la Mara (un gang puissant d'Amérique centrale) et de son jeune ami, un gosse, qu'il introduit dans le gang pour en faire sa nouvelle famille, et celui de Sayra, jeune femme que son père vient chercher au Honduras afin de tenter de la faire rentrer aux USA. On suit le long chemin de croix de ces émigrés clandestins qui doivent traverser l'Amérique centrale afin de parvenir dans le paradis de l'argent. Casper et Sayra vont se rencontrer, puis s'aimer, après que Casper tue le leader du gang, alors qu'il allait violer Sayra sur le toit d'un train au Mexique, plus par vengeance -à vous de découvrir laquelle- que pour elle, quoiqu'il en soit le sang appelle le sang et Casper est poursuivi dans l'unique but d'être massacré ... c'est une immersion totale dans l'existence violente, incertaine et amorale, d'un gang sans scrupules aux lois axiomatiques, où un Casper qui peut aimer vraiment une femme n'a pas sa place -il doit avoir de loyauté qu'envers le gang et ses membres- ; un magnifique "train-movie" au travers de paysages somptueux ; un amour impossible ; la cruauté d'une réalité qui semble bien lointaine ; on se laisse bouleverser.

I saw this film in the cinema late in August and it was absolutely brilliant. It has all the hallmarks of a good film and is a thriller, gangster film and travel movie all at the same time. Especially interesting if you are interested in the contemporary issue of the mass, illegal immigration into the United states from Central America - it opens a revealing window onto the plight of the migrants trying to make the journey towards the States; a journey riddled with danger which only a few will complete. This film is in competition with 'the motorcycle diaries` to be my favourite Latin American film, and if I had to pick one of the two, it would be this. Buy it, you will not be disappointed. (Please read on)Ok this a whole year later, after I have bought the DVD and re-watched the film. It is still bloody good - especially considering the low budget it was filmed on - and I would not alter my above comments. However, the film will not have the same effect on you second time around - it is not one of those that gets better every time you re-watch it. The reason for this is that it is a visceral one-hit impact film - it grabs you because you do not know what is going to happen, rather than because of a well crafted storyline. Watching it again, once you know what is going to happen, the film loses its thrilling feel and leaves you with not a lot else in the way of variation (most of the film takes place on a train).However, this is obviously a comment made after a second viewing (I loved it first time around) and you definitely have to see this film. There ARE some expert scenes, such as the tour of the hideout of the 'Mara Salvatrucha' gang amonst others. Watch it and you will love it. Watch it second time and you will see my retrospective criticism.