Sin Nombre is the newest movie by Cary Fukunaga, starring Edgar Flores and Paulina Gaitan.

Plot:
Willy (Edgar Flores) is a member of one of the many gangs in Mexico. After a few dramatic events, Willy decides to leave his old gang-life behind and he ends up on a train among fugitives on their way to the US. On the train as well is Saira (Paulina Gaitan) from Hondura, who hopes for a better life in the US. Saira strikes up a kind of friendship with Willy, who feels responsible for her.

This is a harsh movie (and made for a hard change after all the summer fluff I’ve been watching…) but it’s also pretty excellent. The only thing that is not so great is the plot developmen; it lacks originality. But on the other hand, it was very well acted and the character development was great.

[SPOILERS]

When I say that the plot lacked originality, I mean that it was utterly predictable: I knew that Willy’s girlfriend had to die, that he’d save Saira’s life and then bring her to the border and that Willy had to die, because he did bad bad things and therefore was pretty irredeemable.  And it wouldn’t really have mattered if it wasn’t for the fact that I hate that trope when a bad guy turns good but he was so bad that he can’t actually go on living so he has to die to save the story. [Warning, link leads to TV Tropes.]

But that was actually the biggest beef I had with the film. The inevitability of it all actually fits the story quite well. The look at the Mexican gang life was as interesting as it was depressing and Cary Fukunaga portrays it unflinchingly.

Edgar Flores and Paulina Gaitan were great, though it also has to be said that they had a lot to work with. What the script lacks in the plot department, it more than makes up for in character development. The way Saira and Willy approach each other and build their relationship was beautifully done.

Despite the sometimes rather excessive violence, the movie remains calm and unexcited, which is quite refreshing, and it’s punctuated by a loud soundtrack that strangely fits the mood.

Summarising: recommended. But bring chocolate.