Mexico City (2002)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Written and Directed by Richard Shepard
Starring Stacy Edwards, Johnny Zander, Jorge Robles, Robert Patrick
Cinematography by Sarah Cawley

Rating: R

Anamorphic: Yes

My Advice: Rent it.

Mitch (Edwards) is a woman with anything but an easy life. Just past a divorce and the death of her children, she has gone to Oaxaca, via Mexico City, for some much needed R & R with her brother, Sam (Zander). But one night, Sam leaves the hotel and never returns. Now, Mitch is on his trail, but her only real clue is his last roll of film, finally surrendered to her when she faces down a gang leader. Mitch is left avoiding some criminals who want that film for whatever Sam accidentally captured on it, as well as trying to stay alive and find her brother.

This indie film has rather interesting cinematography, as well as overall moody direction. The grittiness of Mitch’s quest is underscored by the frequently dark and carefully controlled filming and framing. Mexico City’s dark side is nicely, almost casually, exposed in these shots, adding a great deal to the feel of the film.

The plot is convoluted enough to satisfy, but not so complex that you get the feeling the director was in love with his own (fictional) cleverness. If you like mysteries and crime dramas that focus more on the plot than on car chases, then you will appreciate this one.

Another bonus to being an indie film is that the actors are not box office stars. We don’t have to work so hard to pretend that someone like Gwyneth Paltrow or Matthew Broderick are somebody else, not to mention the fact it also allows some younger actors a chance to shine. Mitch here is just Mitch...not an actress we’ve seen a hundred times before. Her character undergoes something of an overly dramatic change from grieving wife/mother to vigilante, but we can cut her a little slack since at least she doesn’t roll over and just die. Not all of the stars do as good a job--Robert Patrick and Johnny Zander were rather uninspiring, particularly given some of the trite lines they are given to speak. They just aren’t able to rise very high above their mediocre roles.

The disc itself is decent quality; the digital transfer takes into account the overall darkness of the shots and isn’t too murky to view easily. The sound is also crisp enough in general, but there were a couple of places where it was a wee bit muted and needed to be turned up. There are no extras on this indie release, but given the minor nature of this film and the budget of the production company, that is to be expected.

Overall, if you love a solid noir tale, then give this one a rent. You probably won’t be impressed enough with the plot or the acting to want to view it over and over or buy it, but it’s a decent choice for a weekend. If nothing else, fans of crime dramas will appreciate the exotic locale and fine filming.