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THE AMERICAN DREAM

Today's film was Paola Mendoza'sEntre Nos (2010)

Between us.

A woman and her two children are left behind in Queens NY when the restless husband goes to Miami looking for better work.

He is also leaving his family.

No money, no language, no resources at all, afraid of police and the government, the mother tries to find ways to get money. She finds cans. She finds dish washing. She scrapes by but loses the apartment the husband was to pay the rent for.

This is a tough story of immigration. In fact, it is the story of Paula Mendoza's mother. Mendoza wrote and directed and plays the role of her mom. She is vulnerable but tough at the same time.

The two kids are not too cute, not too good, but work with their mom only slowly comprehending that there wouldn't be any more dad time.

This is a positive story. We know that it is because of the way that it is told and that Ms. Mendoza has ended up where she is, making a movie about it.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the woman gets a grip. Makes a few friends. Things begin to work out. Eventually she is able to get slightly ahead.

This is not a film about any miracles or good breaks. It is about hard, persistent work.

It is also a story, although it is not made totally clear, about illegal immigrants making their way.

It is not a message movie. But there is a message.

I was leary about watching this. I don't like too much sorrow or pain in a story like this. There is enough but it is pain that leads somewhere. Very often films are made in which there is an arduous path only to end in tragedy or no end at all.

Immigration is tough no matter what the circumstances but a woman alone has to find and use the breaks that she gets.

I liked this film a lot. I admire all the people in it. No one is cruel or brutal. No one is uncaring even if they start out to be so.

I am an optimist and I believe in the goodness of people and it is comforting to find a truish story that has the same outlook and which optimism is vindicated.

I will give it a 3 out of Netflix5.

Labels: films