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Beautiful, yet uncompromisingly raw and disturbing, Sin Nombre could’ve easily chosen to be either a gangster crime drama or a tale about the hardships experienced by Latin Americans who attempt to illegally cross the border into the U.S. However, this audacious cinematic work chooses to weave both of those themes into its story, and admirably, it packs all of it into a short 90-minute running time. Sin Nombre is both a deeply compelling drama and an engrossing thriller. It moves along with a hefty amount of urgency as we witness these characters’ journey to the border, and the tension comes from both ends of the journey, as we fear that the gangsters who are following one of the characters will catch up to him, while we also feel on edge as to whether or not our characters will run into the immigration police.
Sayra (Paulina Gaitan) and Willy (Edgar Flores), who goes by the nickname “Casper,” start out their respective voyages quite differently. Sayra is trying to cross the border with her father and uncle in order to go all the way to New Jersey (where they have family). Willy is running from the members of a gang he belonged to, who are out to kill him. When Sayra and Willy first meet each other, something happens that immediately makes Sayra feel drawn to Willy and trust him, even though everyone is aware that this tattooed guy is a criminal, and that one should probably try to stay away from him. One of the many virtues of Sin Nombre is that it gives a character like Willy, whom we would normally find to be completely one-dimensional and lacking in any hope for redemption, to be more than sympathetic. We completely understand why Sayra feels an instant bond to him, and why she sometimes makes the seemingly drastic decisions she makes in order to be by his side. But the very best aspect of the film is that, while there’s certainly a romantic undertone to all of this, it’s all very subtle and understated because, clearly, the situation that Sayra and Willy face isn’t one that’ll allow any lovey-dovey moments to feel realistic. The moments they share are still oozing with tenderness, and they are the light in an otherwise particularly dark and bleak motion picture. These two characters rely on each other throughout the intense amount of adversity they face, and as much as I tried not to feel this way, the romantic in me was hoping that they’d both make it unscathed and that they’d be able to happily stay together.
In retrospect, I guess that the climax of Sin Nombre was inevitable, but it still shocked me severely. Even though the very last shot of the movie ends on a hopeful note, the ultimate outcome is tragic, which is fitting for a story that is partly a gangster crime drama and partly a study of illegal immigration. Some of the events related to the first component of the story rely on contrivances, but none of them stands out in a way that makes the story lose much of its authenticity. Sin Nombre packs a lot of power in its short running time, and while it’s not recommendable for the faint of heart or for those who can’t handle depressing movies, it’s well worth watching for those who can embrace this type of film.
7/10
