Search - De la Calle on DVD

Gritty Powerful Story of Drug Dealer Trying to Escape

M. Schreuder | provo, utah United States | 02/14/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This superbly filmed and acted film is better than almost all recent fare coming from Hollywood, with exceptional production values, narrative, and acting. Years of being steeped in Mexico's lurid telenovelas has resulted in a crop of Mexican filmmakers that rank among the finest in the world and have also resulted in the crafting of a story and film that ranks among the best anywhere.

This is the story of a single mother and her boyfriend who become embroiled in a series of missteps and ill-fortune on their starry-eyed attempt to break free of urban squalor to live by the sea. However, it becomes clear that this vision is doomed from the start. In addition, the boyfriend's search for his long-lost father results in a shocking discovery that shakes his very foundation.

The story is captivating compelling and enthralling. It paints a realistic moonscape of what life is for people who live on the margins or fringes of society and struggle to come to grips with reality even as they hold dear the types of homes and dreams common to all humanity.

Overall, a must-see film."