I Carry You with Me

IN BRIEF: A gay love story that intertwines with the perils of illegal immigration.

Heidi Ewing's I Carry You With Me (Te Llevo Conmigo) is a tame telling of gay love that spans a decade. We witness Iván (Armando Espitia) meeting Gerardo (Christian Vázquez) at a gay bar and sense their instant attraction. The film flashes back and forth as it shows familial and cultural pressures placed upon these two gay men as they both dream of a better life.

Based on a true story, the movie shows their quest for the American Dream as the lovers are separated on their journey. Ms. Ewing has a strong commitment to this tale and, at times, gets caught up in her political message. Still she forcefully depicts the immigration hardships and homophobia that many face in their daily lives across the border and in our country as well.

The two lead actors are quite convincing in their roles and add much to their characters sketchy parts. One wishes the filmmakers had the courage and boldness to depict some sexual scenes before "tastefully" cutting away from those moments. But the bigger misstep is whenever the film flashes forward and has other actors assume the central roles as an older Iván and Gerardo. It is then that the impact of that relationship is lost and fragmented.

Still, the film impresses with its message of diversity and acceptance. (GRADE: B-)

Based on a true story. Quite interesting at the beginning but already boring later. They had to cut things to make it faster. The shots were nice and well done. The message was clear, let you live and Live for your dreams fight for them.

This film touches on very complex issues, just as it manages to give a good story.

The story shows us the difficulties of being gay in a community with a very closed mind, and the havoc it has with the family, as well as portraying what it means to go to fulfill your dream in another country. The story has a good development, as well as the development of the characters, but I think that the main character at certain times his decisions become selfish and he is never satisfied with the people who accompany him, reflecting that he does not care much what that others feel or what he leaves behind. Despite that, the film manages to empathize with that character, by having a good acting and good direction. I didn't like the ending as it confused me a bit in how the characters end up, if they always get what they want, or that they could never get everything they wanted.

The movie is very interpretive, but the story is compelling and makes you want to know more about the characters.

Based on a true story. The back to the past-and-to the present scenes made it a little confusing at times. Better editing could've made it clearer. Good film or I should say a good documentary. A powerful story of love and overcoming all of life's struggles, the triumph of immigrants with all its victories and pains.

A narrative documentary like movie based on true events that poignantly details the themes in this story- love, immigration and friendship.

The back and forth jumps between past and present could have been better though, and the pacing towards the end could have been better too.