This Chris Weitz-directed film stars Demian Bichir and Jose Julian. Carlos Galindo (Bichir) is an undocumented gardener living in East L.A. who tries to hunt down his stolen truck -- his last hope at moving his teenage son (Julian) into a better neighborhood, and thus to opportunities he never had. I saw this film yesterday, and its still incredibly fresh in my mind. Never have I cried so much at the conclusion of a film, and I am tearing up right now just from writing this. The fact that this man has such dignity when he is never shown any himself is almost too good to be true, and makes the unfortunate events that unravel all the more heartbreaking. I am, for some reason, very affected by family sagas, so watching a father sacrifice so much for his son, and suffer dire consequences for it, was equally heart-wrenching for me. Living in L.A., I see this struggle firsthand. So, looking back, I am so incredibly happy that Bichir was nominated for an Academy Award. His nomination represents the millions of undocumented workers that face this very real ordeal every day. This is the most moved I've been by a performance all year -- in a long time, actually. A very tough film to watch, but absolutely worth it.
Should you see it: Yes
Grade: A
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