“Sin Nombre” review by Edgardo
If this were an American film. everyone would know it’s name. A little bi-lingual humor here, the movie is “Sin Nombre”, or “Without A Name”. Americans are not too hot for foreign films with sub-titles; even if these movies turn out to be masterpieces. Shot in Spanish with Mexican and Central American Actors, Sin Nombre delivers to us a story that’s not widely known concerning immigration to the United States. One of the biggest issues of the day in the United States, yet Americans know so little about the people that come up through Mexico and into our southern border and what they go through just to get to our southern border. By the end of the film they will know much more.
The movie works in so many different ways: As a quasi-documentary, a chase movie, a travelogue of sorts and a crime story as well. Riding a top box cars are hundreds of immigrants moving to a pace not their own. A pace that is languid or frenetic… dictated by the train itself or by circumstance. Long stretches of ennui interrupted by the sheer terror of bandits and predatory governmental functionaries. Somehow this all important element of “pace” is captured perfectly.
Two story threads intertwine: In Tapachula Southern Mexico, Willy or “El Casper” (his gang handle)tries to have a normal girlfriend while at the same time carrying out his duties as a made member of the Mara Salvatrucha gang. It doesn’t work out. His girlfriend is murdered by the gang leader and he ends up killing Lil’ Mago’(the gang leader himself. A face tattooed devil of our worst nightmares. The juxtaposition of his human side with his diabolical actions makes it all that much more horrific.
In killin Lil’Mago’ he saves a beautiful teenage girl named “Sarya” who has left Honduras with her recently deported Father for Reynosa and then on to his new wife and Family in New Jersey. All throughout the movie people are put into impossible life and death situations and choices are made. “Smiley” the child soldier of the Salva Maratruchas is especially chilling. A friendly innocent kid so quickly losing his soul to the gang.
The action only increases from this point on to a denouement at once horrific and hopeful.
Hard to believe this was the effort of a first time director of a major film and that many of the actors were first time as well. A story that was meant to be told.
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Born in Houston, Texas and moved to Raymondvile, Texas in 1969. Family bought a radio station and helped with the family business until it was sold in 1997. Since then started an agency and mostly writes about experiences in Deep South Texas. Writers of the Rio Grande founder, editor and contributing author. 
