Sin Nombre

This is the first feature (indeed, film school thesis) of American writer-director Cary Fukanaga, having received a big boost in both production and reception from Sundance. I went into it cold, assuming it was actually a Mexican film, which it plausibly seems to be, following in a semi-documentary, semi-thriller style as a group of illegal immigrants travels on top of boxcars from Honduras to the American border, as “nameless” as the title implies. They cross paths with a group of scary gang members, after we’ve seen a few jolting scenes of their violent rituals. An innocent Honduran girl falls for a disillusioned gang member who rescues her from the others, adding the element of romantic implausibility to the otherwise truthful-seeming exploration of poverty and desperation. Nonetheless, this gritty but lovely film, with an effective nonprofessional cast, is a testament to the commitment and skill of a young American filmmaker. (2009, dvd.) *7-* (MC-77.)