J.C. Chávez

I reviewed Chavez for the Las Vegas Weekly when it appeared at the CineVegas Film Festival, and I talked about it on air with Al Bernstein on his Coast to Coast show on Sirius radio.

I liked the film a lot. It is a revealing, very human documentary.

Chavez is directed by 28-year-old actor-turned-director Diego Luna.

It has some defects. It starts slowly, and the white-on-white subtitles are a problem.

But anyone who says the movie doesn't have any themes simply doesn't know what he is talking about.

The themes are potent.

One of the most effective themes is the influence of family. Luna dedicates his movie to his own family. And he shows Chavez and his family in intimate, meaningful sequences.

A second major theme is how the mighty decline. Luna was in the hotel room in Phoenix before Chavez's last fight. And he was in the dressing room after the fight. The images of the beaten fighter are eloquent.

Chavez is a very human portrait. Luna invests it with his personal humanity.

Luna shows the potential that makes him a director to watch in the future.

Tony Macklin

Voices from the Set

I just saw Diego Luna's directorial debut at the Tribeca Film Festival, where it is having its world premiere. Luna, who has already proved himself to be a great actor, in films such as Y Tu Mama Tambien, has crafted a highly entertaining film. Though brief, clocking in at under eighty minutes, it gives you a good feel for Julio Antonio Chavez. Interviews with his friends and family provide a glimpse at his childhood; clips of coaches. boxing promoters (including Don King) and even celebrity appearances ranging from Steve Wynn to Mike Tyson give you a sense of his astounding professional career. With a record of over 100 wins and only six losses, he was a national hero. Luna clearly admired him: what stands out is the closing titles, in which the director reveals how dedicated Chavez is to his children: he is passing on his beloved pastime on to the next generation. This is one of the better documentaries I have seen recently (and trust me, I've seen quite a handful at the festival this year). Luna has infused the film with a lot of style (including good juxtaposition of music and imagery). He has proved himself to be a talented director; I look forward to seeing more of what he has to offer if he takes on a narrative film.

I just saw this film the very next day it premiered here in Mexico, even Diego Luna was there, and I got to ask him some questions and congratulate him for his work, which is superb, because it's an incredibly great directing work by Diego, especially being his first time in the director's seat. The film has everything a great documentary can have: Brilliant editing, great and very characteristic Mexican music, the people he interviewed was greatly chosen, they range from journalists, Chavez' family, the great Mexican writer, José Agustín, to box promoters, even the former president and most famous Mexican political villain, Carlos Salinas de Gortari makes an appearance, and of course, there's the appearance of Chavez himself. All of the Mexican people interviewed in the film, fit in the archetype of Mexican boxers, politicians, etc. and they are often hilarious, just like we Mexicans tend to be. The film as a whole, is a great portrayal of Mexico through Julio César Chávez, the greatest boxer the world has known. I highly recommend this film to anyone who likes the documentary genre, the only regrettable aspect about this film is the fact that it's a bit short, but it's most definitely worth while, since it will make you understand this great man's life, it will make you laugh quite often, and remember (if you're Mexican) those golden years in which we thought the country just couldn't be better.

Let's get real, this is not the first Mexican documentary as some people says, only they don't see further than what over-commercial exhibit brings. México has a lot of long and short documentary films, and this is not even close to be the greatest one of them. It has no theme (people who actually know something about movies knows that theme and story are totally different), is only one collection of happenings on Mexican boxer Chávez around his career... and that's all!! So is surprising that Luna, who has encourage to promote Mexican documentaries, bring to theaters a crap like this. If you are from out of Mexico, and you want to see some good documentaries, watch something about Juan Carlos Rulfo, Yordi Capo, the short films of Mexican students or else but this movie.

I just read in the papers a comment by Diego Luna about Monterrey. He said that Monterrey is a difficult plaza, because of the number of people that went to see his documentary. Well, i agree with him: Monterrey isn't the best plaza, but... his documentary is just, with all the respect, a well done student's homework -nothing more. Yes, it is well produced, he has the money and he is well connected... he interviewed the right people (like for example, Don King). But that is all, OK, no, it is also well edited, but that's it. It has no plot, it doesn't seems to fit the connection between the political thing and his life... Luna goes nowhere with the story. And another thing... why the hell does he had to appear in the shot? to sell more? It is just sad to watch documentaries like this, when there is so much talent in Mexico. I do respect Luna as a great actor and as a good producer, but please, you do not have to monopolize the industry in Mexico.