Rating of
3/4
"Sin Nombre" by Yoijimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 12/27/11
A gang member kills his boss when he tries to rape a young immigrant and together they try to make it across the border to the U.S. with his former friends in pursuit. Sin Nombre will no doubt be considered the "Mexican City Of God" by many because of its gangland subject matter and young protagonists, but this film is a rather more human tale, more about escaping the life than the crime and brutality depicted in the Brazilian film. It shares a similar dark tone but is more of a road movie showing the bad conditions and hardships endured by the illegal immigrants seeking a new life in the united states as well as the harsh realities they are trying to escape. Edgar Flores puts in a very strong performance as the former thug trying to find something better whilst floundering in a world that no longer makes any sense to him without the friends or purpose in life given to him by his affiliation. Those expecting lots of gangland action and shoot outs may be disappointed, but it's a tense and intelligent story with a moral message that transcends culture and nationality.
