I watched this on a long plane trip recently, because I was bored. What a horrible movie. Boring, depressing, and with a sickening left wing agenda shoved down our throats.
It reminded me of an ABC After School Special, more than a professional movie.
About the left wing agenda, what do these people expect? Just open up the borders to anyone who wants to come in? Is that really a practical solution?
It seems more like your political bias prevented you from liking the film? I thought it was good and it features a great performance by Bichir who recently received a Screen Actors Guild nomination; so an Oscar nom is not out of the question for him.
share"It seems more like your political bias prevented you from liking the film? "
No the political bias of the movie prevented me from liking it. That and it was boring, poorly acted, and cheesy.
That and it was boring, poorly acted, and cheesy
yeah you're trying too hard with this one, and I probably agree with your politics for the most part but you're username and stance on this movie is just hilarious.
shareI agree with you on the reason why the person who started "Hated this movie" didn't like it. Most people and critics liked it, including Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times, who gave it 3 and a half stars (Out of 4), and you were correct also on the lead actor. Demian Bichir did receive an Oscar nomination for Actor in a leading role. Of course, you knew that already, I just wanted to let you know that I liked your response.
shareThis movie actually is almost 100% spot on in the dynamic I have with my father.
As soon as I began to watch it and realized what was going on, i almost wanted to turn it off because it felt too real. My father came here as an illegal alien and has worked hard his whole life to provide us with a living. Like the son in the movie, I've always known that deep-down an respected him for it, but at the same time taken it for granted because he's never really there to be seen. The struggles the father goes through are ones that I know for a fact that my father does as well. He feels guilty because he knows he's not there, but his culture and guilt don't allow for him to say anything to his kid so he compensates by focusing on his work, thinking his son will live better and have the opportunities and education he never did.
As the son you're trapped because you don't want to let down your father who worked so hard for your success, but at the same time you see what's going on around you and are sucked in by it, so you forget to pay him respect and you forget and maybe even become ashamed of your heritage, and then you grow to resent them because they made you feel trapped to be something you think you can't possibly be.
I wasn't born in the barrio or had a particularly hard life. My father lucked out and managed to build a business with his bear hands. He went from picking fruit in fields, mowing lawns, and washing cars to starting and running a multimillion grossing small business. I've lived a pretty decent white-washed middle-class life with two parents to raise me (neither of them are native born incidentally, mother's korean). I consider myself a conservative republican(too many half-assed socialistic policies are cropping up) and lived life with no real hardships. Even so, this movie connected with me and I completely got it.
You must be a Native American. Anyone else is an emigrant or descnded from one. The Native Americans should have shoved the Puritans back into the ocean. They were bigots who spread their intolerance in the new world.
"You must be a Native American. Anyone else is an emigrant or descnded from one. The Native Americans should have shoved the Puritans back into the ocean. They were bigots who spread their intolerance in the new world."
Thank you!
- Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine
The so-called Native Americans had no country and also inhabited what is now Cubs, also South America. Guess where they get treated best? Yeah, United States. YOu think Castro is letting them run own reservations?
shareYou REALLY think USA treats (and treated) better the Natives? The first country to make laws protecting the natives was Spain, in the XVI century. A Native in Bolivia or Chile has a much better chance in life than a Native in US. Please, do your homework before talking *beep* Reservations are NOT the better way to treat the Natives.
shareNative Americans (full or partial blood) have been Presidents in at least Bolivia, Mexico, Ecuador and Venezuela. Let me know when something like that happens in USA.
sharechicago85 Your words about The Puritans and Native Americans are no different than someone saying that Latin immigrants don't belong here.
Don't you see that. it's like saying I hate people who hate.
I liked the movie. it is not an agenda it just it what it is. If it makes people talk about it well then it served its purpose
Typical teabagger mentality. There was no left wing agenda in this film. It's about the relationship between a man and his son but perhaps if you had your head out of your ass during that flight, you'd have gotten that....
- Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine
Very intelligent post. Keep it up bud.
shareAt least I don't go around claiming that there is a hidden right wing agenda planted in my cheerios.
- Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine
Nor do I Einstein. But I do see obvious not-so-hidden left wing messages in this movie, which you do not have the brains to see I guess.
shareI think Gaimcap hit the nail on the head. I personally never thought of a political agenda in the film, but simply to portray the struggles of a single parent trying to ensure their child had the best chance and opportunity to survive in this world. That the parent happens to be an illegal alien, adds to the dramatic tension and the complexity we must feel as audience members for this character. Can we be sympathetic to this specific case, or are we given a deeper understanding immigrants face when trying to simply better their lives in this county?
Can you lay out the "left wing messages" in the film? Unless I missed it, I don't think you mentioned anything specific.
EDIT: I see you mention in your first post about opening the borders. I think what's important is that the film didn't make a strong stance to argue such a point. I felt that Carlos knew he was doing wrong and knew the consequences if he were caught, hence why he was trying to keep a low profile, not stir up trouble. I would understand your point more if there had been some miraculous moment where all of a sudden he was award a green card/citizenship because of his son...but what mattered was that HIS SON was given a better life, that was the fight Carlos endured to win.
There are no "hidden" left wing messages. The OP is a paranoid, right-wing racist and the message of this film went right over his/her head.
It's about a father's love. The circumstances were setup around the immigration problem in this country which is what ultimately tore them apart but there was, in no way, a left wing agenda.
There is no reasoning w/ people like the OP with their narrow-minded view of the world.
- Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine
A right-wing bias will prevent someone from getting what this film was all about, since a right-winger will not allow himself to have empathy for someone in a troubling circumstance if that person also happens to be an illegal alien. A right wing bias also prevents one from seeing their right-wing bias. I thought this film was superbly acted and realistic.
share"Anything that doesn't agree with my views are left wing biased"
shareleft wing agenda?
expect?
depressing movie?
guess the reality bites hard for you and you would rather turn away than address it,
this movie is not about opening up the boarders or shoving something down the throats, this movie is about about a father and son!
A father who wants to see his son turn into a good man!
about a father trying to do the best he can with the cards he was dealt in life.
this movie is not about race, about illegal Mexicans, it's about any father who is trying to provide for his son the best he can.
it's a very political issue , yes you are right. but for 10 million illegals in the country most of them are trying to just support their families with honest hard work. sure they are illegal aliens, but they are also the backbone of America
15% of Legal Americas are Hispanic and I am sure many of them will relate to this movie.
and it's not just about Mexicans, it can be any race, people looking for a better life to provide for their families! just like the Europeans and early settlers who left Europe and moved to American in search for a better life. in those days there was no immigration.
sure illegal aliens are an issue, but this movie is not about that, there are plenty of movies which cover that topic.
this is a father son movie.
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Im not saying anything about this movies agenda or lack thereof, but I do find it amusing that its always a 'tolerant' liberal spewing the hate, calling others 'teabaggers' as if they are cool and witty, THE SAME TIME they are condemning a 'right-wing' hater for doing the same.
And crying about pity for illegals?
Where is your pity and compassion for all the dead Americans at the hands of illegal aliens? Would you be surprised to find more Americans killed by illegal aliens than the Iraq war? Google it.
And the sympathy for them? Their families? Loved ones? Oh no...cant speak of that! Cant demand justice for that without first condemning hateful 'right-wing rhetoric'.
Cant demand anything. All you'd have us do is bow our heads, learn spanish so as not to hurt their feelings, and focus more on hating and inciting hatred for republicans.
If youre lucky the loonies at msnbc can stir up enough minority hatred to start a door-to-door lynch mob! Bet every tolerant and compassionate liberal in America would love to see that.
And you people wonder why 'liberalism is a mental disorder' is such a popular phrase.
It's not surprising at all this movie would upset a bigot. It humanizes an issue and makes it difficult to hate the people bigots want to hate. There is no agenda being pushed. The movie simply presents a story of people involved in the illegal immigration issue. It passes no judgments.
You'll notice the bigot doesn't complain about gang life or socioeconomic conditions or the plight of the inner city. It's only about the illegal immigrant who is the focus of the movie. It makes the bigot very angry that the illegal immigrant is not presented like a criminal but instead as a human being.
I'm conservative on most issues, yet thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated this film. The immigration problem is multifaceted and not easily solved, yet Carlos, like so many, represents a decent human
being trying to provide a better life for his son and himself. Demian Bichir is deserving of an award.
Yea.. U must be a republican from Texas lol
share A left wing agenda? U miss the REAL story, u are talking about open the borders.. I bet u are white, and let me ask u? Ur grand-grand parents where did they CAME FROM? Who let they be here? And W-H-Y they came here? cause ALL OF THEM looked for "a better life", NOW, who the hell are u to denied that right to anyone? I REALLY DOUBT that u are a native american. And finally this is all Im gonna said to you:
"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a STRANGER and you WELCOMED ME, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a STRANGER and WELCOME YOU, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'
And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as YOU DID IT to one of the least of these my brothers, YOU DID IT TO ME.'"
(Matthew 25.35-40 ESV)
Yes, my grand grand parents came from another country..LEGALLY!!!
Also, you brought up race, not I.
Also, your lack of literacy annoys me ("And finally this is all Im gonna said to you:"???) . Please learn how to write. I thank you.
LEGALLY???!!! OHH YEAH, I forgot that u family came to America and kill REAL NATIVE AMERICAN.... That "another illegal immigrant" said that u can live here, that doesn't make u "Legally". There is NOT ANY document wrote it for a Cheyenne, Sioux or even Sitting Bull, that said European people can live here "Legally" What a shock!!! ... Another proof?? Tell me the roots of your last name?? Thats right!! It's European!!! So dont give me that crap that Im 100% American... U talk about literacy, what about your IGNORANCE?....America is NOT a country is a CONTINENT!!!At least we are from this Continent, U ARE NOT EVEN FROM THIS CONTINENT!!!.... IM NOT A RACIST , I JUST CANT STAND THE DOUBLE STANDARD, BEFORE U BEGIN TO JUDGE TO SOMEBODY, START WITH YOU....
Maybe my "illiteracy" annoys you.. So I leave u with the quotes of a Wise REAL NATIVE AMERICAN.
"They claim this mother of ours, the Earth, for their own use, and fence their neighbors away from her, and deface her with their buildings and their refuse".
What treaty that the whites have kept has the red man broken? Not one
What white man can say I never stole his land or a penny of his money? Yet they say that I am a thief.
What white man has ever seen me drunk? Who has ever come to me hungry and left me unfed? Who has seen me beat my wives or abuse my children? What law have I broken?
When I was a boy, the Sioux owned the world. The sun rose and set on their land; they sent ten thousand men to battle. Where are the warriors today? Who slew them? Where are our lands? Who owns them?
AND FINALLY THIS ONE
You think I am a fool, but you are a greater fool than I am.
SITTING BULL
Immigration laws basically did not exist until 1875 when the Page Act imposed the first limitation on immigration. Of course, that act only applied to Chinese immigrants because it was a racist act. The Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization did not even exist until 1906. So yeah, illegal Aliens didn't even exist 100 years ago outside of those with colored skin...
So, your lack of literacy annoys me. You clearly cannot read a history book, otherwise you'd know that immigration laws are a new thing and certainly not something that the Founding Fathers had in mind. Our constitution says NOTHING about limiting immigration.