La ley de Herodes

Politically inspired `Herod's Law' weaves a familiar story of a mousy junkyard operator making his way up to a powerful position and more importantly, corruption that ultimately follow. Director Luis Estrada commands an ensemble of talented actors and masterfully executes this sharp, tough and funny material. Set in 1949, Damián Alcázar plays Juan Vargas, a newly appointed mayor, promising to bring `modernity and social justice' to San Pedro de los Saguaros, a small but troublesome town. Although Juan Vargas initially has good intentions, he is soon forced to `Herod's Law' – a sort of Darwinian way of looking at your peers. D. Alcázar's physical comedy is perfectly pitched and the scenes with Doña Lupe, the brothel madam, are especially funny.

When this film was released in Mexico, it cause so much stirred that the ruling party for 70 years, PRI, was voted out. How many times can we say movies have the power to change a political system? This is 8/10.

Herodes' Law is great and perfectly accurate parody of the corruption that characterizes most of the Latin America's states (for not saying ALL of them). Brilliantly, director Luis Estrada uses a very poor small town to develop his exaggerate parody about the behavior of Latin-American rulers. I'm sure that for us who were raised in small Latin-American towns, have notice that our governors are just a small sample of how things works in the official grounds.

Good photography, characters perfectly conceived and excellent performances makes Lay Ley de Herodes a very enjoyable, sometimes disgusting, film. Don't miss it 9/10

A perfect and abundantly Mexican version of Lord Acton's dictum, "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely." In 1949 a local official of the ruling PRI (Pedro Armendariz as López) chooses a humble janitor (Damián Alcázar, as Juan Vargas) to be presidente municipal ("mayor") of a dusty, dirty little village in northern México. Vargas' is supposed to bring "modernity and social justice" but as he gradually assumes power, he grows progressively more corrupt. He even acquires the 1930's symbol of rural elegance in México: a Packard. Vargas eventually challenges his mentor, with surprising but perhaps predictable results.

The film was initially denied release because it paints a hilarious but extremely negative picture of women, of local priests, and of local government. It also includes a great deal of amazingly foul, but ultimately very funny, Mexican slang. Even the title, La Ley de Herodes, is part of a very crude saying that might (with considerable liberty) be translated as "Law Blue: Do it to them or they'll do it to you."

Juan Vargas, the hero of "La Ley de Herodes" learns quickly his role as mayor of the forgotten town where the ruling PRI party has chosen him to preside. The town and its people stand as a Mexican metaphor for what's wrong in the country, as a whole.

At the beginning we watch as Juan is reluctant to follow the steps his predecessors took in governing the town, which stands as a microcosm of the way things have been done in Mexico. It speaks volumes that Mexico is one of the oldest 'democracies' in Latin America, where corruption is rampant. On wonders if Mexico is the role model, what can be found in other Latin countries. Mind you, not everything is perfect in the good old USA!

It is to Luis Estrada's credit that he has been able to do this satire that pokes fun at politics, but at the same time, it makes one thing clear: watch what politicians will do once they take public office.

Damian Alcazar is perfect as the goofy mayor Juan Vargas, who the bosses in the capital think he will be perfect for the job. Pedro Armendariz Jr. does wonders with his interpretation of a corrupt party higher-up. Delia Casanova as Rosa and Isela Vega as Dona Lupe, are excellent.

This is a lesson in Mexican politics!

I first heard about this film on NPR in an interesting program about the ruckus this film may have caused with with it's own government. This lively film pulls a number of punches at politics of this era. A sharp and amusing black political comedy that keeps you engaged from the very beginning. A lowly civil servant gets a "promotion" to become the law in a desolate backwater Mexican village. It is a universal tale of greed, corruption and fate which had me chuckling for hours. If you can imagine a tasty, spicy satire pie baked up with treachery, a wry wit and superb performances, then by all means take of big bite of this delicious treat.