The film is written and directed by Cary Fukunaga (I’m not familiar with her other work).  The big names attached to the project would be the executive producers, Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna.  It made it’s North American premier at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

The story follows Sayra (Paulina Gaitan), a Honduran teenager following her estranged father and uncle up north, through Mexico and hopefully to the US border where they would cross illegally to bask in the glory of a dream life.  The clan rides dangerously on top of trains illegally through Mexico, braving bad weather, the possibility of falling off and the constant threat of bandits.  The family conflicts with a small band of MS-13 members, led by Casper (Edgar Flores), that attempts to rob them.

Yes, that is horrible synopsis.  The plot is quite complex.

The film is quite beautiful.  Featuring stunning settings across central America.  The acting leaves nothing to be desired.  The performances are subtle, and muted in the best way possible.  There’s no glamorizing of gang life, or even border crossing (don’t expect any sort of happy ending).  The plot is well thought out, and the dialogue is concise and compelling.  The problem comes when the audience is expected to feel for these characters.  Central acts revolve around Casper who kills multiple people during the film that runs just over an hour and a half.  I found myself conflicted towards the end when I was supposed to feel sorry for this person who will kill someone for no other reason besides the victim having the wrong tattoos.  Perhaps this was the point, or the question that Fukunaga wanted to ask: can you atone for your sins by committing good deeds?  If this indeed was the point, I missed it, and was left slightly befuddled by the time the credits started rolling.  Besides this single complaint, the film really is quite a force to be reckoned with and is certainly worth your hour and a half and nine bucks.

3 out of 4 stars

Milk follows the true life story of Harvey Milk (Sean Penn), the first openly gay man to be elected to major public office.  It follows him from his days at an insurance company in New York where he meets the love of his life Scott (an perfectly even, warm and funny performance by James Franco).  The two move to San Francisco, seeking a sort of asylum among other semi-closeted gays during a time when you could legally be fired, or kicked out of your apartment for being a homosexual.  The film then focuses on his heroic campaign efforts finally resulting in a win, when Milk is elected as one of San Francisco’s City Supervisors.

This is the best ensemble cast of the year, without a doubt.  Emile Hirsh, Josh Brolin (who plays the slightly homophobic fellow Supervisor Dan White), Diego Luna, Alison Pill, they all play their roles pitch perfectly.  Penn is endearing and inspiring in his portrayal of this fallen American hero.  The script deserves special recognition as well, penned by Dustin Lance Black (Big Love), as it brings a sense of realism often glossed over in political dramas.

The most credit however, goes to Van Sant who handled this piece remarkably well.  If the Academy doesn’t throw him a bone with a nomination nod, I’m going to do something drastic.  I didn’t want the movie to end, it was that good.  A film celebrating this American hero and the fight for civil rights which he led, comes at a painfully relevant time, and perhaps it’ll bring a little more attention and humanity to the current unstable political atmosphere surround gay issues (get your shit together California).  This is Van Sant’s best film to date, and without a doubt, one of the years best ten.

4 out of 4 stars

Rottentomatoes: 93% – Cream of the Crop: 91%