Search - Sangre de Mi Sangre on DVD

A Powerful Story About Immigrant Journeys

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 10/11/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"SANGRE DE MI SANGRE (also known as PADRE NUESTRO) is a fast-paced, raw, and rather brutal indictment against the cruelty immigrants face upon entering this country. Written and directed by Christopher Zalla the film may cover territory becoming a bit overexposed in cinema of late, but the story is so well told and acted that it rises to the top of the films currently available about the experiences immigrants (from Mexico, in this case) endure in trying to better their lives under the torch of the Statue of Liberty!

The film opens in Mexico where a young criminal Juan (Armando Hernández) narrowly escapes his pursuers by jumping over the border fence and landing in a situation where a coyote (corrupt border guard) is loading his truck with immigrants to transport them for cash to New York. The street-wise Juan is one of many stuffed into a truck and happens to sit by a young illiterate lad his age named Pedro (Jorge Adrián Espíndola) who is on his way to meet his father who lives in New York ('a man who owns a restaurant') but whom Pedro has never seen (he carries with him a letter to his father from his recently deceased mother). Through all manner of staging errors and transportation glitches, the two young boys, full of dreams of a better future in America, land in New York. Juan loses his money and his ID and steals from his newfound friend. Pedro encounters a streetwalker named Magda (Paola Mendoza) who promises to help Pedro find his father Diego (Jesús Ochoa). But Jaun has found the dishwasher Diego first, claims to be his son, and causes confusion and discord in Diego's life. How the two lads manage to survive the complexities of life in Brooklyn and are swept up in the raw life of crime that surrounds the lives of illegal immigrants makes for a complicated story, but one filled with unforgettable characters and emotions.

This film had an unfortunately brief run in the theaters. It is a well-made film in every aspect and deserves wider audience which now, on DVD , it just may reach. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, October 08"

Dark Side of the American Dream

The Movie Man | Maywood, New Jersey USA | 12/28/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

""Sangre De Mi Sangre," translated as "Blood of My Blood," was the Grand Jury Prize winner at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Determined to find the father (Jesus Ochoa) he has never met, a young man (Jorge Adrian Espindola) flees the slums of Mexico and heads to the mean streets of New York City. When a shrewd thief (Armando Hernandez) steals his identity and schemes to rob the father he has so desperately been seeking, both men unexpectedly find themselves bound for the dark side of the American Dream. This thriller about survival illustrates that both immigrants and the people who try to exploit them are capable of evil. There is a great deal of suspense created and sustained as we follow the saga of people exploited in a new, often hostile environment. The New York City locations, so familiar from their appearance in so many movies, often take on a menacing aura, as the plight of the immigrants in America frequently appears to be worse than it was in Mexico. Written and directed by Christopher Zalla, "Sangre De Mi Sangre" is in Spanish with English subtitles. There are no bonus extras."

Gritty Mexican Drama -- very powerful acting

D. Hupp | Woodbridge, VA United States | 12/23/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The acting is excellent in this dark look at the seamy side of life among some of the less fortunate illegal Mexican immigrants. Jesus Ochoa, Armando Hernandez, and Paola Mendoza give especially compelling performances, and the rest of the cast seems perfect for their parts. Ochoa's portrayal of Diego is surprisingly complex and ultimately sympathetic.

The story is at times hopeful but mostly focuses on the tough situations that these illegal Mexicans experience and how those experiences shape their lives and outlook on life.

While the dialogue is full of the sleazy language of these hardened unfortunates, it adds realism to the seedy life style of the characters in the film. As the plot unfolded, I found myself more and more absorbed in the fateful plight of each of the main characters.

I'll refrain from commenting on the details of the story because I believe that seeing the story develop without much knowledge of what lies ahead will add to the impact that this film can have.

I give it a strong 4 stars."