"Sin Nombre" offers realistic look at migrant routes north

Cary Fukunaga's first film, the fictitious "Sin Nombre" (now in select theatres) may offer one of the most authentic portrayals yet of the north-bound migrant experience. I wouldn't know, of course -- but Fukunaga would. The director spent several years researching the film through extended visits on the Central American and Mexican railways, interviewing migrants, coyotes, neighboring townspeople, and gang-members -- lots of gang members.

The beautifully shot movie, which focuses on the unlikely bond between a young girl and an exiled gang member who are both hoping to cross the border, is actually made by its un-plotted moments; brief forays into the countryside, the scenes of reposed mareros, and the all-too believable cast of characters that one encounters along the way-- the downtrodden, the desperate, and the hopeful.

Shot with only a handful of professional actors, the performances are each outstanding and surprisingly nuanced -- even the most inhumane characters are given their due humanity (a heavily tattooed and brutal gang leader burps his newborn on a couch, or a cross-dressing addict-cum-candy salesman offers chillingly rationale advice to some young gang-wannabes). I believe that this movie will be a reference point in the genre for years to come, following in the footsteps of "El Norte" and "Maria Full of Grace."

For more reviews:
- La Times
- Variety
- Washington Post