Frontera

Frontera (2014)

Part of me says: any movie that helps our understanding of the real illegal immigration situation from Mexico should be watched. This does that.

The problem is made immediate and intimate, and you are meant to understand both sides of the issue. It also avoids for awhile the sensationalism of lots of these cross- border dramas. A young man crosses into Arizona in one of those remote areas where it seems possible to sneak through and walk away. Some American kids taking pot shots at him with a high powered rifle end up accidentally killing an American woman on her horse (she falls off when the horse is spooked) and the immigrant becomes the main suspect.

This all happens early in the movie, and it is the dead woman's husband, played by Ed Harris, who holds up the other half of the movie. We follow then the Mexican (played by Michael Peña) as he flees and encounters "justice" (and later his wife, played by Eva Longoria arrives to help him). And we follow Harris who steadfastly digs into what really happened.

So there is plenty of drama here (one reviewer on rotten tomatoes said this had no drama, and that is completely false—just wait until you get to the coyotes kidnapping people). And yet there is a sense of balance, that there are good guys and bad guys and misapprehensions on both sides. You might say this makes the movie too balanced, so it lacks punch, but instead I think it has depth, which is better.

It's imperfect, for sure, as things get wrapped up and plots become increasingly intertwined. But overall I found it strong and well intentioned. And well acted, set in some genuine looking arroyos and deserts (it was filmed in New Mexico).

Having worked as a photojournalist in New Mexico I am always a bit hesitant to watch movies purporting to depict the "Border Problem." Thus when I ran into this movie on Netflix I was at first hesitant to give it a try. Happily, my reservations proved unfounded as this turned out to be one of the best movies I've seen in the past year or two. The lead role was virtually made for Ed Harris and his stoic, unwordy, acting style fits into the theme like a hand fits into a custom made glove...just right! Residents of the American Southwest are not known for wordiness and Ed's quiet although intense acting more than rings true throughout...lending an air of authenticity all too rarely encountered these days.

Michael Peña, Amy Madigan, and Eva Longoria were all excellent and the cast fit together as well as the hand fit the custom made glove referred to earlier.

As far as comments made by other reviewers relating to the movie sidestepping the more controversial aspects of the current immigration scene I'm not sure I agree. It's a complex issue and any movie attempting to render solutions will fall flat. Surely it's more than enough to attempt to put a human face on what's become a political hot potato and media frenzy bullseye and this movie more than succeeded in doing that.

A very relevant and worthwhile watch. The acting is good. The story is complex, deep and without a perfect solution, and so goes life on earth, and that's exactly what this film really hits you with. There are no perfect solutions to many of our problems, and also that innocently intended pranks can sometimes result in drastic and irreversible consequences. There certainly is a good size audience out there that will appreciate this film. So far it hasn't found enough of that audience it seems. This is a very realistically minded film that will make you think and feel, either that or its realism will just scare you even further back into your already well zombified state. Goodnight sleepwalker!

7.5/10.

I watched this film out of respect for a friend associated with the movie. Being in the industry I wasn't expecting too much but to my surprise it was great! Ed Harris doesn't let us down. Casting was done perfect, and the writing was superb. I am not a big fan of subtitles but this movie grips you to were you can't let go and don't even notice the subtitles. Eva Longoria is excellent, such a gorgeous woman in real life but not for this production giving us a performance that we won't forgot. See Michael Pena in numerous roles over the years I can safely say an award could be coming his way. I can't say enough about the film. A great drama, enough action and some romance make for a great view. Go see for yourself and let me know...

I am retired and living in Mexico. Like most Americans, I knew nothing about Mexicans, even though I grew up near the border. When I was in high school in the 60's, I would hear the garden hose come on at night. Being only 10 miles from the border, I would hear the quiet sounds of Mexicans getting a drink of water on their way North. My bedroom door was unlocked. These illegal aliens were 10 feet from my door. I had no fear of them, nor did I have any reason to.

Frontera is a movie about how little Mexicans and Americans understand one another. Americans, with their sense of entitlement, have no understanding of the aspirations of the less fortunate neighbors to the south. Mexicans have no understanding of how hard their Northern neighbors to own what they have. To Mexicans, we are all lazy rich people. To Americans, our neighbors to the south are whores and taxi drivers, not worthy.

The story begins realistically, a hopeful Mexican man hiking north, leaving his wife and family behind. He crosses the border on foot, his only crime is illegal entry. Bad stuff happens, all of it unnecessary, and all of it because of the suspicion and mistrust between neighbors in different countries and different worlds. There are few real villains in this movies for all the violence and hatred it displays. The misunderstanding between the two cultures is the real villain.

Ed Harris and his real life wife, Amy Madigan, are excellent. You won't recognize Eva Longoria without her slut makeup and push up bra. Surprise! She can act a little! Michael Pena also deserves praise for his portrayal of a man caught in a culture war while simply trying to obtain a better life for his family. The story works. People change, and have a better understanding of what each needs from the other. A good, entertaining film with a happy ending and a message of hope for two countries who could learn a lot from each other.