El Norte (1983)

Sadly Over-hyped

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

How sad is this?

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Peasants escaping mindless labor and a murderous Guatemalan government head to America in hopes for something better.I am not super knowledgeable about immigration and I cannot say it is a topic I am very passionate about one way or the other. I don't think immigrants (legal or otherwise) should be demonized, but I certainly understand why we have a process in place so not everyone can come in.I think this film had a very realistic approach, and was more than just propaganda. We understand why the two main characters make the choices they do, and cannot be upset with them even if they are "illegal". We see the trouble they run into and the adjustments they make. I found it fascinating how the film explores the whole range from finding work, to the immigration authorities to getting medical care.

It's a good enough film. The cinematography and the soul of the script are what make the movie for me, though. They chose non-actors it seems for the film and I found it a bit distracting at times.Props to the focus of the story and that it doesn't all end with days of wine and roses, which makes me happy because I was greeted with as honest a film on the subject back in 1983. Not that it's not, but there are a few moments where I found myself saying, "Come on, really?" There are moments in the film where red herrings are thrown around (sequence where helicopter and them crawling through a rat-infested tunnel, is an example) and the editing can be a bit off with pacing. Other moments in the story where they are confronted with a difficult circumstances that hadn't brought themselves up until later in the story, and you're surprised that they haven't been confronted with up until that. In other words, conflict arises to serve the movie and the flow of the story; they show up to hit the beats that you expect for a movie to hit. The flow of the story can be a bit arbitrary at times, which when you notice, can be annoying.For me, the saving graces are the cinematography and the production design. The cinematography provides for a lot of beautiful imagery, with most of the film's images coming from the backdrop of Guatemala. The production design. I feel like the production design captures a lot of the culture and it establishes the world that they live in very well from the beginning of the movie. The image of the worker's feet as they move at the command of their foreman/boss as you see an alternation of naked feet and torn-up tennis shoes is pretty clever and it's this little account for details that make up the environment which I really liked about the film.The cinematography with the character's in Guatemala is beautiful to look at and made the film for me. I guess the middle of the film and the way certain conflicts arise struck me as contrived.The final sequence as Enrique makes it to his new job and reflects before the credits roll, was awesome and it made me reflect more positively on the film. So, yeah: watch it.

The oppression of immigrants is without question.....by coyotes, federals, etc. up to and including the employers in the USA who exploit the illegal immigrants who, for the most part, want little more than a chance to have a better life.The biggest issue for me with EL NORTE was the time line. In the time it takes Enrique and Rosa to learn English well enough to get work and such...and to converse in fairly idiomatic ways........her disease is --what?----waiting to erupt? The bites were not the same day as her fever, right? Also, the acting was wooden to the point of "community theater is better" especially on the part of the gringos---from the Border Patrol guys to the Chicago woman......And...would two Spanish speaking people talk to each other in English when communicating complex ideas such as best chance, green card, etc. as the scene at the motel with Enrique and the "arranger?" There are many good and great movies out there about the perils of immigration, oppression and so forth--and THIS one got the Oscar nomination? Again..a good concept.

I first saw this movie when I was a kid and it just stayed with me. There are still some scenes that I don't forget. This is a really sad yet great story of a brother and sister who come to the US and how they suffer. You can practically feel the love and respect that they have for each other, it's wonderful. The parts that most stick in my mind are the Mexican sweet bread theft, the dryer machine incident and the rats in the sewer. It's been over 15 years since I've seen it. Great actors in this movie and good, realistic theme. It is an absolutely awesome movie and I would totally recommend it to everyone! Enjoy it!!!!