Sin Nombre
2009 Directed by Cary Fukunaga
Synopsis
The greatest sin of all is risking nothing.
Set on the border, where Mexico becomes the crucible and the fearsome gangs of today’s Mexican countryside, the gauntlet, to freedom. The stories of a girl living in Honduras and hungering for a brighter future, and two teen gang members, for whom the Mara Salvatrucha is near their entire universe, become interlaced on the train to the border,a journey that will determine the future of their lives
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Wow, what a great film. Sin Nombre is a beautiful simple story of two people who need to get a way from their lives. Willy needs to escape his gang, although he is fairly certain he will not succeed, and Sayra needs to get to New Jersey to start a new life in America.
In a fantastic debut, Cary Fukunaga gives us a glimpse into the world of illegal immigrants and the lengths to which they will go to get a better life. The film is real and gritty. Fukunaga doesn't shy away from showing desperation, but the film is ultimately hopeful without being sentimental in the slightest. As with the rest of the film, the characters are compelling and honest and very real. Sin Nombre is definitely one of the best films of 2009.
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I would never have known who Cary Fukunaga was and would have never heard about the film called Sin Nombre had it not been for Letterboxd. The sheer overplus of amazing films which keep cropping up in my beloved site is really amazing and I will be eternally grateful for that.
Sin Nombre is an extremely beautifully shot, Mexican road/ gangster film. Fukunaga’s first directorial venture was a truly enthralling experience. The film is shot entirely in Spanish and the locations vary from several places like, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.
It is a stark look at the challenging life in Southern America. The film with all its gorgeously choreographed shots of the Mexican country side stunningly contrasts the pitiful plight…
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When I normally think of foreign films, specifically in a South American setting, especially a road travel film, I envision a group of people (commonly college students) going on absurd adventures while they seek out the girl that got away, an easy lay, or even nothing at all in particular, all while cast before gorgeous backdrops. The other alternate route involves a journey of self-discovery, and as many mind-expanding drugs as possible ala Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
But, as comforting as it came, and as devastatingly as it left, Sin Nombre is a road trip that happens to take place on top of a train, with immigrants attempting to demolish the harshness of life they've grown all to…
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I'd like to personally thank Mr. Dulac for recommendating this to me based on my how much I liked director Cary Fukunaga follow up Jane Eyre (another great film). I'll admit, my expectations weren't very high going in and I was seriously amazed with this.
The story is so simple, yet so beautifully poetic. The acting is terrific and like the performances, this film feels so real and gritty. The film is violent, but the violence in order to provide an honest depiction of this real, raw, and unfliching environment. The characters are flawed, but you sympathise with them seeing what they have to go through just to survive. Everything just feels so powerful, honest, and heartfelt.
This is an outstanding film that I cannot wait to revisit. Absolutely loved it. Subtle, intense, brutal, stunning, and unforgettable.
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Last week I had no idea who Cary Fukunaga was. Since then I've watched Jane Eyre on Saturday and Sin Nombre today. The fact that these two films are the first features he's directed amazes me.
Like Jane Eyre, the tone and style of Sin Nombre is established during it's opening shots and stays true to it right up to the end. That's not to say their similar movies because I don't think anyone would watch these back to back and suspect that the same director was behind them.
The cinematography is beautiful. The cast is top notch. The script is tight. The film is violent, honest, tragic and heartfelt. I loved every minute of it.
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I have no idea why it took me three years to get around to Sin Nombre, but I'm glad I finally did. I loved Cary Fukanaga's take on Jane Eyre last year, and while his first feature is much different, it is similarly reflective and beautifully shot. While it deals with the topic of illegal immigration, it doesn't politicize it beyond presenting a story that is so rough and sad that it speaks for itself.
Willy (Edgar Flores) clearly wants out of gang life, and when he finds out that the leader killed his girlfriend, he exacts bloody revenge atop a train loaded with those seeking entry into America. With the gang now after him, Willy meets Sayra (Paulina Gaitan),…
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Vivid, painfully beautiful drama about a Honduran girl who reluctantly joins her father and uncle in boarding a train for Mexico as the first step towards emigrating to the US. Meanwhile, a Mexican gang member whose leader has betrayed his trust joins the trek, though he knows he's a marked man.
This is an impressive debut from from director Cary Fukunaga, who would go on to do Jane Eyre ( which I hear good things about). This is such a beautiful looking film, the cinematography is amazing, all the actors involved do a really great job and it manages to put quite a lot into its 90 minute run time. Highly recommended -
Sin Nombre is a great picture that shows a young immigrant and another individual that is fleeing from the brutal world of the MS-13 gang. Great acting and very well done.
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Beautiful well-acted tragedy.
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¨I went with a friend to visit a neighbor, an old woman named Doña Eleanor, a psychic. She said: You will make it to the USA, not in God`s hands, but in those of the devil.¨
Sin Nombre is one of the best foreign language films of the year about gangster life in the south of Mexico and immigration to the United States. Most Mexican movies deal with immigration since it is one of their major concerns and that can get old at times, but this movie feels fresh because it mixes both issues and deals with them in a realistic manner. Director and writer Cary Fukunagra researched immigrant and gangster life in Central America before deciding to make this…
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It's weird how a Mexican movie can feel so alien to me, but the lives portrayed here are very distant from the reality I lived there. I didn't engage with this movie, the adolescent romance and the stupid decisions that lead them down the hole are things that just impede me from relating to the material.
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I would never have known who Cary Fukunaga was and would have never heard about the film called Sin Nombre had it not been for Letterboxd. The sheer overplus of amazing films which keep cropping up in my beloved site is really amazing and I will be eternally grateful for that.
Sin Nombre is an extremely beautifully shot, Mexican road/ gangster film. Fukunaga’s first directorial venture was a truly enthralling experience. The film is shot entirely in Spanish and the locations vary from several places like, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.
It is a stark look at the challenging life in Southern America. The film with all its gorgeously choreographed shots of the Mexican country side stunningly contrasts the pitiful plight…
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A good depiction of the gang culture "la maras" as well as the problems with immigration
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A dark and savage tale, Sin Nombre is a movie which spins together a Mexican mafia story with an unlikely relationship. Strong performances, powerful execution and stunning landscapes. Damn good.
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In 30 Films Around The World (1/30): Mexico