No Salida

I saw this film recently through many recommendations from my friends and thought it was brilliantly directed and acted. I normally only watch big budget films and spectacles, but this little film really moved me. I won't waste a lot of time telling you the story, as you can read it elsewhere, (and I'm of the type who likes to know little about a film until I see it) but just know that if you don't watch this film, you will be missing out on one of the best films of '98. It's a complete roller-coaster ride of emotions, like the film In America was, and will not disappoint. Why haven't we seen more films director Bill Birrell??? And the actor from ER, Demetrius Navarro, was just as compelling here as he has been on ER for the past several years. Check this movie out people!

At 25 minutes, this film is one of the most honest, stirring dramas in the genre. The story of two brothers who are locked in a timeless dance of interlocking destinies. The story effectively updates and makes relevant for today's audiences the Jean Paul Sartre theories referenced by the title. The two leads, Demetrius Navarro and Mark Adair Rios, turn in performances that are at times heart wrenching, or funny, or steely. Amy Vincent's cinematography is as beautiful as her work in Eve's Bayou, but much more appropriately gritty for this urban environment. Score by Michael Giacchino is fitting and foreshadows his later work. Script is tight the film is beautiful paced. A must see if you can find it.