Did anyone like this movie?

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Here's the thing about this film. Jennifer Lopez has a lot of baggage with her, and anything she does will carry with it all that baggage, from the gossip of the rumor mill, to her big butt, to her attempts to be a singer/actor, and her personal life. All of that factor into people's opinion of this movie, not in the that order ;)

However, after having viewed the film, I must say that this goes beyond Jlo. By the way, if you're a fan of Gregory Nava films, this is a good one to add in that category.

The actors were all great, we see their motivations, and we also see that not everything is so black and white. Each of them has a personal obstacle they are trying to overcome, and I think the film does an excellent job of setting the story up.

The actual topic of the film couldn't be anymore relevant and urgent. The raping of women who work in maquiladoras in long shifts who on their way home in the early or late hours of the day are raped and killed by an unknown number of men. All of this due to the company's sub-human treatment. They don't provide protection for their employees or let them out at reasonable hours. While working they are treated like robots in the movie, as the loud speakers blast out orders demanding they speed up their work if they are falling behind in the assembly line, repeating this message until the production catches up to their pre-established speed.

These factories produce the computers, televisions, and the myriad electronice devices that the U.S. consumes in droves, and it came about, as the movie explains, because of the free trade from NAFTA(or slave trade as JLo's character quips at her boss played by Martin Sheen). The movie shows how this free trade is nothing more than a way for the rich to maintain their power and wealth while the poor suffer with the crumbs that are thrown their way. It is a smoke screen, if you will, for the machinations of the powerful against the powerless, which has been happening since the dawn of history. What makes this story poignant is that the official version of the rapes, the free trade agreement, and the exploitation of the poor either do not admit they exist or they rush quickly to cover it up or kill those who are trying to expose it, which is where Jlo and Antonio Bandera's characters come into play.

If you've read this far, and I know how people are about spoilers, I would like to express how this movie touched me in a way I thought was going to be impossible given the already charged topics at hand. Jlo's character and the struggles she faces as a Latina are only apparent after she comes to this whole other world in Mexico, while trying to get a juicy story that will land her a Foreign Correspondant gig that apparently pays a lot more. The realizations that she has about her identity, her principles, and how that ties into her past in the movie, were gems. In the end for me personally, the film was about not forgetting where you came from, and being proud of that heritage. This is a topic covered extensively in another film by Gregory Nava called My Family (Mi Familia). A change occurs in Jlo's character that is evidenced physically on the screen, to metaphorically symbolize her interior change about her own identity, when she changes the color of her hair from blonde to brunette and then decides to keep that hair color for the rest of the movie. It also symbolizes her acceptance and remembrance of her *SPOILER ALERT* real parents versus her adopted ones, and how that ties her to the story of these women who are raped and also have no voice or choice because they are as powerless as she was when her parents were murdered (or killed accidently I didn't understand that part completely).

So to answer your question, I loved the movie 100%. I hope you watch it as I too was starting to believe the negative press about this movie from these boards (thanks a lot naysayers you made me want to see the movie for myself).

Do as I do when watching a movie. Ignore and erase from your mind opinions of a movie. The best opinion of a movie is your own, and you can only acquire it by watching the movie for yourself. Hope you enjoy it. I know I did.


Traveler, there is no road;
the road is made as you travel.
-Antonio Machado

I went into watching this movie with no expectations, but I really got wrapped up into it. I thought all of the actors (including one of my faves, Sonia Braga) did a great job with the script. The storyline was great, and I love the subtext with the attacker possibly being a figment of Eva's imagination. Job well done, everyone.

saw it yesterday and thought it's not as bad. j-lo's acting was not at it's best, but all in all its not so bad

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The Story shows the essential real story thats why I liked it...of course its a hollywood movie so some fantasy is allowed...although I believe they should have given more enphasis on the power of the wealthy people involved in the story, I liked Maya Zapata's performance...if you are interested in reading what i call the real story go to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaths_in_Ciudad_Ju%C3%A1rez

and

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1532607

Right now the government (Federal, State & local) are in what i call a campaign to mislead the people saying the city of Juarez is not that violent, and that all citizens of Juarez should stand out and tell the world about how great our city is, which in fact could be, but hey there are some people like me who are not brainwashed that easy. Believe me Juarez is violent, the killings I believe continue and both US and Mexican authorities know and sometimes are linked to the wealthy families described in the film.

about me
Born and raised in Juarez
Lived in the US for 2 years
Engineer working for an American Company Based in Juarez

I just watched it and really enjoyed it. Thought that it was well done and spooky. Would like to purchase it on DVD once it is released.