Sujo

Sujo is a powerful film. I watched at Sofia Film Festival and i got very moved by this story. Children in this world are subjected to terrible acts of violence and this story at some point seemed that it was going to be a no way out type of story. It ended being a masterfully told tale about a boy turning into a good man. I really didn't expect the outcome and how all characters are interwoven into a delicate fabric of life and destiny and hope.

We all deserve to have a good future and Sujo is a testament of that.

Only thing that I didn't like was missing the Q&A at the festival. Cheers to the creators of such a special story. Hope it will have more awards and recognition.

Of course this is an authentic social drama, but not really crime though, because you won't find here any action and bloody sequences. It is only a psychological and social study of a young boy whose father was a sicario, a hired killer for the Mexican cartels. This movie is not SICARIO, I repeat, nor the adaptation of a Don Winslow's novel. This is not destined to wide audiences, and only selected folks can appreciate such a little gem. I would have prefered another kind of ending. But that remains a beautiful film, splendidly done. I will never see this film again, but don't misunderstand the content of my review. It is worth the discovery. It deserves to be seen. Not a movie produced to make the gross, and that's the most important.

This is a film that let you accompany Sujo on his journey of self determination. From being in danger as a boy due to his father involvement in the Mexican mafia to him being followed by a shadow that looms large over his life. You see this story of a young boy being rescued by women but also by his own good nature. The camera hides with him as he tries to save his life and later on follows him in the countryside, poverty also has beauty through a boy's perspective. What a story, it speaks tons to me. Watched it at Pingyao Film Festival and got the chance to get an autograph from one of the directors. A rare triumph a film full of wisdom.

Sujo is a film that I went into with no expectations and no knowledge of the story. I left the theater having seen a masterpiece. A film that portrays the solitude of a boy born broken, born with a curse that couldn't be removed. The passion of building a better life brought down by the life he was born into.

Stunning cinematography and amazing acting elevate the story into its own world. The child actors especially surprised me with their talent, a quiet role is often the hardest to play. The sound design is one element of the film that especially blew me away. Little details are heard in amazing quality, loud sounds are sparse but powerful. The film is told mostly from Sujo's perspective, isolating the audience and providing a terrifying realistic look at a life many of us do not get to see.

9/10.

Watched this at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

"Sujo", while slow, is a good character study of a movie about a boy struggling in a society due to being born with a cruse that can't escape with strong direction, beautiful camerawork, and good performances from the entire cast. The narrative explores some interesting themes, characters, and ideas that felt genuine, dark, and a bit depressing and tense to observe. Including good sound designs, costumes, and atmospheres explored throughout the setting.

The performances from the cast members are good including the child performances as each cast helped to create the realistic, isolated feel and lonely of the characters situated in. Many of the characters are interesting but it does suffer from some weak developments that felt a bit hollow. I did wish the characters were a little more grounded and some of the pacing could improve. Including some of the dialogue as some of the dialogue feels a little too artificial at times.

Nevertheless, the filmmakers has proven that they have a good vision and there are some really strong moments throughout. It is flawed but it's still an ambitious story to tell.