Blood trafficking, skateboarding and romance combine in the shadows of Mexico City. Miguel and Johnny hang out in an abandoned truck trailer tank, thread through foot and vehicle traffic on skateboards, get high on various substances and only abandon this easy-going and carefree existence when they need cash. Donating blood keeps them in the black. When offered 100 pesos ($6) for each blood donor they can find, Miguel and Johnny ask few questions and get caught in an undercurrent of greed and malevolence.
This poignant and timely film is a conglomeration of various genres including, surprisingly, cerebral and stoner. The actors, some found on Facebook, are adept at their roles and made me feel like I was watching a documentary of their lives. The film is slow-paced and the action and violence subtle. There is constant movement as if all the scenes were captured in one take. Music, ambient sound and casual conversations flow into each other almost naturally. It is intriguing to see Mexico City at night, glide beneath its highway underpasses and see its graffiti coated concrete alleyways up close. "At the heart of this film," said the director who was at this 2016 Miami International Film Festival screening, "is a love story." There is little to lament beyond a small budget.
