De la calle

Director, Gerardo Tort develops a raw human portrait of today's urban slum. "De la Calle" literally translated means "Of the Streets", and suitably so as Tort deals with one of the most disturbing and complex issues: Children living on the streets of Mexico City.

The storyline of two teenagers, Rufino and Xochitl, whose desire is to escape the cruel lifestyle of the streets, is the vehicle used to tour the lives of a marginalized people and experience a glimpse of their ruthless reality. As it seems that there is no possible form of social mobility, the viewer is intrigued by Rufino's proposal of relocating and beginning a new life. This notion is paused by the discovery that Rufino's father might be alive. Their circumstances become more inconceivable as the film progresses.

Tort uses a hand-held camera to take the viewer to undesirable real places, otherwise unknown to the outsider. His use of lighting techniques, the stark contrast between light and dark, symbolizes the extreme disparity of the social economic classes that persist in Mexico. Tort also uses this minimal lighting to convey other critical issues of a Latin American nation: social immobility, corruption at different levels in society, family violence, drugs, rape, and poverty.

"De la Calle" is the child of Tort's original theatrical play, created more than a decade ago to raise awareness about social conditions in the heart of Mexico City. Tort was unable to continue showing the play due to restrictions imposed by authorities. Tort takes a risk by continuing this play as a motion picture. He portrays the painful life of a marginalized people as a form of art, unmasking core issues of the homeless, parent-less, and broken. Thus, Tort inspires others to rise up against the vicious cycles of social injustices.

I saw this film at the LATINO film festival in Hollywood, CA and the experiance was great and the movie was very powerful. Both the director and writer were there after the film and reinforced what was clear throughout the movie that this movie came directly form the heart and nothing would compromise that. Many people in the industry wanted the director to change the morbid ending.

As a first-time reviewer, I'll do my best: This movie gently warmed my heart, then tore it out. Almost documentary in style and realism, I was lost immediately in the story. Reminiscent of "Amores Perros," and, more distantly, of "Y Tu Mama, Tambien," this is a tale of forgotten vagabonds in Mexico City, their loves and hopes and desperate acts. Although fictional, you know these lives exist, and that realization is almost too horrible to comprehend. I cried. Don't let this deter you, though. Wait until you're in a pensive mood, then watch. Hopefully you'll be a better person after. True art.

In Mexican film we are living a fatalist era, which is not all that bad and it is a part of our country and our culture, like Amores Perros which is the best known, among others. De la calle is a good film, it goes to the guts of the problem without compromising deeper, which is OK, but there are many more arms to this octopus, there are worst cases.

Very good narrative, good directing, very good editing and the story is... well, average, because if your going to put a story on film, I think it has to go beyond what we already know.

More than a good effort, it's a good movie, but I would do more with the story.

Gerardo Tort's "De La Calle" is an emotionally powerful film that never seems to reach greatness. The story is about Rufino, a teen living in poverty in Mexico City, trying to escape a life full of drugs and corrupt cops. The film shares a lot of the same themes with Brazilian film "Cidade de Deus." However, Fernando Merilles' experience, makes "Cidade de Deus" the superior film of the two.

Right away it is clear that Tort wanted a very gritty and dirty look to his film, which adds to the atmosphere of hopelessness. The opening shots of the kids in dirty clothes set the bar for the rest of the film. Tort went for natural lighting which gave the film a dark but realistic feel to it. The camera is held in a hand held style resulting in some shakiness, but the shakiness never becomes overwhelming. The screen was full of dull colors which gave it a gloomy vibe. Overall the film looked exactly how it should for a film such as this.

The film's 88 minute run time feels somewhat rushed through. The characters don't feel fleshed out, which take away from the films emotional beats. Emotionally moving scenes like the conditions the kid's live in lose some of their impact because the viewer is left wondering why they should care. The acting on the other hand is very solid across the board. The young actors, led by Luis Peña and Maya Zapata, feel like they are playing themselves, not playing characters.

Filled with solid acting and a gritty look, Gerardo Tort's "De La Calle" is a solid film. His inexperience as a director shows by what feels like a rushed plot and somewhat lacking character development. It is an average film that could have been better with a different director at the helm. However, if you have about 90 minutes to kill and are interested in seeing a how bleak things are in Mexico City, this movie warrants a viewing.