Thursday 3 February 2011

la misma luna


Under the Same Moon was a lovely film making commentary on the nature of illegal immigration, family and love. i think it deserves better than it's IMDb rating of 7.4 out of 10.

it is about a mexican woman who has gone to live illegally in the US and her son, left in mexico with his grandmother.

when grandma dies nine year old Carlitos embarks on a mission to be reunited with his mama. in the course of the journey Carlitos attaches himself to the unwilling Enrique who slowly becomes a true partner to the boy, eventually making an heroic sacrifice in support of Carlitos' mission.

it is the relationship between the two that has remained with me. this is filmworld where the impossible becomes possible, i know, but could a stranger become caught up with the plight of a boy to the extent that he would invite his own arrest and deportation? what is it about the boy that inspires such sacrifice? is it Carlitos at all or is it the romantic idolisation of the mother-child bond that inspires Enrique? is it a cultural emphasis on family?

i dont suppose my questions will be answered but as i ponder i will be happy to gaze on Enrique!

9 comments:

  1. Perhaps it is Enrique who has the greater need? I've not seen the film but often in life, it is we as adults who are searching for what makes it all worthwhile. It sounds like this might be the case in the movie.

    Similar in many ways to people who go to great lengths to rescue dogs or cats. Yes the boy in the movie needed Enrique but my guess is that Enrique needed the boy equally.

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  2. If life worked out like movies it would be a better life but then if movies worked out like life then no one would pay to see them.

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  3. mike,
    in a very indirect way i have acknowledged enriques need of carlitos but what is the need, exactly?
    i think he needs to be involved in something bigger than himself

    walking man,
    you, my dear, are the king of one line philosophy!

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  4. Never heard of that film, I don't think it's been shown here, but it sounds interesting. In this self-centred world, stories about complete strangers who do something so altruistic and generous are always fascinating.

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  5. no i will not answer the questions for you, that would be very presumptuous{SP} of me i was wiondering if bloggers die sooner than sane people????????

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  6. nick,
    i'm not sure if it ever was seen in cinemas here, i got it in the local rental joint.
    i spent much of the time i was watching wondering what i would do in a similar situation


    putzy,
    are you calling me insane???

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  7. This sounds like an interesting film, and one I'd like to see. I think sometimes we adults seek redemption through our children.

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  8. no i am callling you a BLOGGER, MY DEAR

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  9. nana jo,
    i'm sure lots of adults seek redemption through their children but not so often through a child who they have no vested interest in.
    it was a sweet film with a happy ending but not so overly romantic as to be sickening, yo u should enjoy it if yo u happen to see it


    putzy,
    call me what you want, so long as it's accompanied by "my dear"!

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