The first time I saw this it blew me away. Since then it is probably one of my favourite movies of all time - why?
The stylishness, the grittiness, the acting and the passion.
You can tell that the people involved in the project really put their all into it and truly believed in telling a good story.
The story itself is, on the surface, something we've heard of before - typical heist gone wrong yada yada. But what makes this so special is the clever character study and the evolution we see in John Leguizamo's character. This is one of his best roles - the acting is top notch. Rosie Perez is equally impressive in her role and the passion bleeds from the screen.
You can tell Director Brad Furman wanted to stay true to the roots of the characters - he did go to Boyle Heights and filmed within the neighbourhoods wherein the story is set. On the commentary to the film he talks about the issues this raised due to guerilla style filming and some of the risks involved.
The evolution of Leguizamo's character, a man just trying to make an honest living and provide for his family, who gets caught up in something outside of his control and has to fight through the ruins of the aftermath. It's truly wonderful to witness - the lawnmower scene and his anger is felt through the screen as he battles the scars he's been left with as a result of the events.
Having seen Furman's other films, I still consider this his best for its unique nerve and sheer determination to make this project feel realistic and gritty.
9/10 - For the brutal and hardcore acting, cinematography and gritty realism - do not miss this!
