MovieChat Forums > El Norte (1984) Discussion > A honourable effort, but...

A honourable effort, but...

posted 15 years ago by Davidux
3 replies | jump to latest

...El Norte was a clumsily-made movie. The script was weak and sometimes filled with clichés. (I lost count at the number of Guatemalan visual and verbal clichés that were thrown into the film.) The acting ranged from poor to terrible. The film-making was similarly sub-par.

I also found it off-putting to see two Mexicans in the lead roles as Guatemalan Maya. The brother's Mexican accent, in particular, was evident throughout, while the sister was pure mestiza - I would just shake my head seeing her in indigenous traje. I understand that it would have been next to impossible to recruit Guatemalan Mayans in the roles - or just mixed-race Guatemalans - but could the producers not have made an effort to employ Mexicans who resembled indigenous people? Mexico has a significant minority of them.

Having said that, I do commend the writers and producers for bravely bringing this story to screen when the savage Guatemalan civil war still at its peak (early 1980s). It was also great to see Hollywood shine a light on the plight on illegals in the USA and the enormous risks to life and to family that they take in crossing the border.

[–] andy-todd-1 14 years ago

It may seem 'clumsy' to you. I thought it was a very well told story (of the plight and risks you mention in your last sentence - not only of the border crossing, but leaving their home and of surviving in El Norte).

Being a gringo, I couldn't notice (let alone be miffed at) Guatemalan cliches or imperfect accents.

I also see that for the two lead characters, El Norte was nearly their first acting effort (it is the earliest credit, for the male lead, according to IMDB, the female only shows a few prior credits).

I thought this was a wonderful film, despite the certainly low budget and inexperience of the writer/director (Nava) and the actors. The fact that Criterion is re-issuing the dvd seems to support the notoriety of this film.

Nava also got an Oscar nomination for the Best Writing/Screenplay, among other nominations and awards. El Norte also won a spot on the (U.S.) National Film Registry (for the Library of Congress). The National Film Preservation Board selects up to 25 films all of which are considered to be culturally, historically or aesthetically important.

Not bad for a 'clumsy' effort.

[–] Local Hero 13 years ago

It has gotten all that critical attention because of the content-- it was one of the first films to tackle an extremely under-represented but vital subject. That's why I, too, think the film is, in a sense, great.

However, I agree with the OP. I am a non-Hispanic white but I kept wondering why the two leads didn't look at all like indigenous people (Indios). But I would stress much more the OP's other point about the acting. The acting-- and, much more, the direction of the acting-- was artificial and Disneyfied throughout. For me, it greatly detracted from the open-your-eyes realism the film was going for. I kept thinking it felt like a made-for-TV movie, and, after I finished watching, I found out that's exactly what it was.

So, I LOVE films with political courage, and for that reason I think it's a great movie (although it's certainly not perfect, even in that respect). I also think the film has considerable strengths artistically. It's just that Disneyfied feeling of the direction of the actors that was sometimes a little lacking for me.

[–] atiq1969 9 years ago

I would like to submit that what you refer to as "Disneyfied" might be the world-view to some people of other cultures. The naivety of the siblings reminds me very much of my wife, who is from the East. Not everyone shares the cynical nature of the West. In addition, you must remember also that these siblings were fairly young.