No Turning Back

I just watched this movie last night on Lifetime TV. I simply loved everything about the movie. The actor (also the director/writer) did an amazing job! I also liked the little girl, she has tremendous future in movies! As soon as the movie starts, you are suddenly put in Pablo's life. Every moment he goes through - u feel it. He does everything for his daughter. This movie is based on true story, which is sad. It's a story of courage, emotions, drama, a father, and daughter. Even though, the main character is somewhat of a criminal, you just feel sorry for him and sympathize with him. His crime was an accident. I liked and didn't like the ending. I think when u see the movie, you'll understand why I say that.

This movie is not to be missed. By these first time writers and directors - this is a movie that shows a lot of promise and their skills.

Go rent it or buy it ! This movie is a must for everyone! I cried cried and cried during this movie...so be ready with box of tissues.

Just saw this film at Sedona Film Festival 2002 - my favorite at the Festival. Jesus gives a riveting and sensitive performance of a good man who faces insurmountable trials after a terrible accident. This is based on a true story and demonstrates the importance of seeing there's more than one side to any story. Hope this gets a broad distribution!

The film deals with a very important issue of illegal immigrants and their daily struggle to make it through in order to give their kids a better future. The problem is with the script that even though tells a fairly interesting story, fails to deal with the issue, and instead presents us with a melodrama, in which all ends are neatly tied. The point of 'No Turning Back' is not really clear, as you never get a sense of what it is that they want to go back to. It seems like similar life to the one they main character had can be rebuild in any other state (The story takes place in California), as well as in Canada, to which they are trying to get. The story also fails to evoke the strong emotional feelings you get when you see 'Sophie's Choice,' nor be charming as 'Three Fugitives.' We do not feel any sorrow for the separation of the child from her father, as we know she is better off with her new family.

Too many issues are being resolved with no real explanation like how Soid found the hiding place of the father and his daughter? How did the police know the exact cruise line company that the father and his daughter were heading for? The movie shows the police somehow finding out that someone is selling them his green card, then showing them coming to a cruise line company, where the father applied for a job under an assumed name. Yet at the end of the movie, they know to go there and not any other place. Other issues are not dealt with like why the father didn't try and run to another state where it would be easy for him to evade the police, or why did the mail policeman decide that the policewomen is not ready for this case. Another unresolved issue is how Soid makes a living. Where does she live? Who pays her to do her documentaries, or where does she get the money to do them if not ordered by any organization?

Some of the sub plots either don't make sense or entirely unnecessary. The relationship between the two cops is poorly written and developed. They seem to have no other cases other than this one. The policewoman looks like a veteran who dealt with many cases in the past, yet the rocky policeman tell her she is not ready for this case. The grieving family seems to go back to normal life very fast. Even before the funeral the father is already back to work. When the father brings his daughter to the hospital no one seems to question the story that he found the child on the street. It is not clear how the police learned of the presence of the child in that hospital.

The relationship between the father and the daughter are very touching, though we don't really get a feeling of what their lives looked like before they relocated to the USA. Would they stay in their homeland should if the mother was still alive? What did the father used to do there? How did the child feel about moving to a different county? The child's view of where her mother is, as well as the way she presents it to the grieving father of the dead girl is well written, and it's too bad there are not enough of this type of writing throughout the script. Another well written and well played scene is when Soid reveals she sold the car.

Most of the acting is good, though I felt the policewoman was trying too hard to be Whoopi Goldberg in 'Jumping Jack Flash.' The policeman's character as a Native American who is late to work because he speaks to a spiritual adviser in the shape of an owl only ridiculed the police investigation. I especially liked the acting of Lindsay Price as the documentary film maker. All of the actors use the 'F' word. Would have been more interesting if each one had his/her own lingo and if they used profanity less often.

The sets lack credibility. In the scene where the two policemen check the computer for the green card fraud, their surrounding is bare. No other tables, policemen, or any other indication that this is a police station. The hospital seems to have no other patients other than the kid. When the father is about to board the cruise line ship, even though it is close to the time the ship is about to sail, there are no other personnel in sight.

The story moves from a drama of a father and his child trying to run away, to an action film with a daring rescue of the child from the hospital, and an attempt of the father to run from the police after being caught. It would have been a lot more interesting to either build it as a journey movie, such as 'Thelma and Louise', while showing the relationships and changes the 3 main characters go through, or build it as a drama of a tragedy hitting the two families, without the action/thriller parts.

This was an absolutely brilliant movie...you get to see past the mistakes and choices that we make and into the heart of love at every step in this movie.

The acting is Oscar worthy by Jesus Nebot...and the support cast was phenomenal. There wasn't one moment that I was not hooked into this movie from fade in...until the big ending!

I laughed, and I had tears in my eyes more than once...it is what movies are supposed to be about...the journey into people's souls.

This particular story covered so well, multiple viewpoints of all people involved in the story.

You can feel the overwhelming pain and love of each character so well...and with each step...once again, love, compassion, and connection wins.

Do not miss this movie...it will stir you inside and make you feel things you may have never felt before. It will open your heart's door to the meaning of what it means to have "unconditional love" for a child...and the choices we make to protect them.

May this movie and the filmmaker be blessed with much love. :-)

So many independent films these days seem to be an opportunity to show off the filmmakers ambitions, rather than what they can contibute to the world with their insights and perspectives. This charming and compassionate film is more of what is needed in this world, and particularly in this country (the U.S.) today. With the monumental self -imposed task of producing, directing and starring in his own first film, Jesus Nebot actually comes through with flying colors. His performance is flawless, and carries with it the sensibilities attributed to another talented actor/director, Roberto Benigni, in his charm, passion and good will (plus, he's way more handsome than Benigni -- sorry Roberto!). And while there are some minor flaws in the dialogue and a couple of unrestrained performances, they do not take away from the other excellent performances (in particular Susan Haskell as the devastated Mother) and the fact that this is not only an important film in its own right (due to the timeliness of its subject matter) but also a representation of this filmmakers strong talents. I hope he gets many more opportunities to make films, as it seems they would only make the world a slightly better place, rather than taking us further down the path of desensitization and despair.