Raising Victor Vargas (2002)

Director:

Peter Sollett

Writers:

Peter Sollett (story)
Peter Sollett (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

30 May 2003 (Turkey)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

A Lower East Side teen-ager struggles to find some sanity while surrounded by an eccentric grandmother, a crazy new girlfriend, and a longing younger brother.

Plot Keywords:

Dominican | Crying | Candle | Chicken | Teenage Love

Awards:

3 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Victor Rasuk	...	Victor Vargas
Judy Marte	...	'Juicy' Judy Gonzalez
Melonie Diaz	...	Melonie
Altagracia Guzman	...	Grandma
Silvestre Rasuk	...	Nino Vargas
Krystal Rodriguez	...	Vicki de la Cruz
Kevin Rivera	...	Harold
Wilfree Vasquez	...	Carlos
Donna Maldonado	...	Fat Donna
Alexander Garcia	...	Al
John Ramos	...	Macho
Theresa Martinez	...	Judy's Mom
Randy Luna	...	Pool Boy #3
Jeff Knite	...	Pool Boy #4 (as Jeff Asencio)
Juan I. Lebron	...	Israel
Joe Rosario	...	Security Guard
Gladys Austin	...	Social Worker
Jacqueline Rosario	...	Singer

Directed by
Peter Sollett

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Peter Sollett		story
Peter Sollett		written by
Eva Vives		story

Produced by
Jean-Michel Dissard	....	associate producer
Alain de la Mata	....	producer
Scott Macaulay	....	producer
Vincent Maraval	....	executive producer
Robin O'Hara	....	producer
Peter Sollett	....	producer
Cate Wilson	....	line producer

Original Music by
Roy Nathanson

Cinematography by
Tim Orr

Film Editing by
Myron I. Kerstein

Casting by
Ulysses Terrero

Production Design by
Judy Becker

Costume Design by
Jill Newell

Makeup Department
Angela Gallagher	....	key makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mariela Comitini	....	second second assistant director
Carrie Fix	....	first assistant director
Michael A. Moffa	....	second assistant director (as Michael Moffa)

Art Department
Jill Alexander	....	property master
Laurent Gorse	....	art department intern
Jesse Kaufmann	....	intern
Tyler Q. Rosen	....	property master

Sound Department
Steve Borne	....	sound designer
David Briggs	....	foley editor
Ryan Collison	....	foley engineer
Anguibe Guindo	....	boom operator
Nadine Finzi Maybruck	....	sound editor
Branka Mrkic	....	dialogue editor
Alex Raspa	....	adr mixer
Reilly Steele	....	sound re-recording mixer
Noah Timan	....	production sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Burke	....	camera loader
David Elwell	....	best boy electric
Justin Scott Gravatt	....	electrician
Melissa Guimaraes	....	best boy grip
Matthew Hale	....	key grip
Susan Heller	....	electrician
Linda Kallerus	....	second assistant camera (as Linda Slater)
Jude Kiernan	....	camera loader
Scott Miller	....	gaffer
Scott Miller	....	still photographer
Matthew A. Petrosky	....	first assistant camera
Craig Striano	....	grip
John Woods	....	electrician
Laurie Chakel	....	grip/electric intern (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Amy R. Burt	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Katy Skjerping	....	assistant editor (as Katherine Fisher)
John Dowdell	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Tracy McKnight	....	music consultant
Alysia Oakley	....	assistant to music supervisor

Other crew
Scott Burik	....	set medic
Kristen Dubberstein	....	assistant production coordinator
Jeremy Gould	....	location assistant
Eryka Seimona Henderson	....	location manager (as Eryka Seimona)
Matthew Hysell	....	key unit production assistant (as Matt Hysell)
Jesika Khadivi	....	production office intern
Raynelle Irene Mensah	....	set production assistant: re-shoots
Tony Osso	....	production coordinator
Jennifer Quesenbery	....	location scout
Josiah Silverstein	....	production assistant
Collin Smith	....	location scout
Sally Steele	....	publicist
Bergen Swanson	....	post-production office supervisor
Hope Walter	....	production assistant
Hughroy Williams	....	key location manager

Production Companies

• Canal+
• Forensic Films
• StudioCanal
• Untitled Productions

Distributors

• Mars Distribution (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• 791 Cine (2009) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2003-2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Lighthouse Pictures (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Samuel Goldwyn Films (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Fireworks Pictures
• Millennium Storm (2005) (Italy) (video)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Switzerland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Film Finances  completion guarantor

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Australia:M | Singapore:NC-16 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | Argentina:13 | Spain:18 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Lower East Side, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

The film's working title was "Long Way Home".

Quotes:

Guy hanging out:[to Melonie and Judy] I'll f*ck you so hard, your aunt is gonna feel it!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 2004 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Casado y Cansado (No Puedo Mas)

"No Pause" Needed

"Raising Victor Vargas" is one of those light, family movies that you can watch and do the N.Y. Times crossword puzzle at the same time. And if you want to go to the kitchen for a taco and a Corona, you don't have to "Pause" the DVD. Just let it roll, 'cause you won't be missing anything really important. No twists, turns, or tension. It's not really an ethnic movie, it's a movie about a poor, struggling immigrant family that happens to be Latino. They could have been any ethnic group. It made very little difference. I've seen it all a zillion times before. Just plug in a Jewish family, an Italian family, a Black family, or an Irish family. Just the accents and names were different. If the Vargas family was named Bush or Clinton and were Presbyterians, the movie would have been a total snooze.

It's funny that the critics here couldn't get the locale straight. Some said it was Spanish Harlem. Some the Bronx, and another Brooklyn. As a life-long New Yorker, I vote for the Lower East Side. And it seemed that the family never met up with anyone except other Latinos. They lived in an insulated/isolated little enclave. Some interaction with non-Latinos might have created some excitement, interest, or tension. Remember West Side Story?

And now for the oft-criticized cinematography. I don't know if it was my TV or what, but all the indoor shots looked very ORANGE to me. The apt, the furniture, and the faces were all ORANGE. What was that supposed to mean? And the apt. did look pretty cramped to me. Somebody here mentioned that the old apt's/tenements had very big rooms. Well, maybe 50 years ago. What landlords have done is to break up one big apt into 2 or 3 very small ones and squeeze as many immigrants as they can into them.

And another annoying thing ....This is the second family movie I've seen and criticized this week that featured a teenage boy "jerking off". Is this private sex act necessary for us to watch? Please spare me! What's up with these directors?

So "Victor Vargas" is a pleasant little movie. It was nice for a change to see young Latino actors given a break and a chance to show their talents, which they did. But the writers let them down, giving them a flat, unspectacular script to work with. Enjoy the show, but keep your fingers near the "fast forward" button.