Search - Gringuito on DVD

An Enjoyable and Original Film

Timothy Kearney | Hull, MA United States | 05/09/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"GRINGUITO is an enchanting film. It tells the story of Ivan, a young boy living in New York City. Ivan is a complex child, both overly mature for his age in some areas but woefully immature in other ways. He can be artistic and precocious one minute and obnoxious and incorrigible the next. He is the son of Chilean parents, the father a native and the mother of European heritage (hence his being called Gringuito). The parents moved to New York at a time of political unrest and decided to return to their homeland prior to the birth of their second child. The move upsets Ivan, as does the impending birth of a new sibling. As a way of protesting his displeasure, he runs away while his babysitter is entertaining her boyfriend soon after moving to Chile, and spends a few days on the streets absorbing urban life.

The writing of the film is skillful to say the least. The story could easily have spun out of control. There is tension between the father and his in-laws, particularly his mother in law, related to ethnic and political differences, yet we understand that while knowing about the tensions is important, they are never the major point of the story. The dangers he faces on the street are seen through his eyes consistently and for the most part do not overtake the plot. In the end, we believe this story could happen, wondering what Ivan will experience next. It is also well acted, especially Sebastian Perez who plays Ivan. The film is heartwarming but not overly sentimental and should be enjoyed by anyone who likes a good story and a bit of adventure too.
"