Bordertown (2007)

A journalist investigates a series of murders near American-owned factories on the border of Juarez and El Paso.

Director:

Gregory Nava

Writer:

Gregory Nava

Stars:

Jennifer Lopez, Antonio Banderas, Maya Zapata

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Maya Zapata	...	Eva Jimenez
Irineo Alvarez	...	Domingo Esparza
Rene Rivera	...	Aris Rodriguez
Jennifer Lopez	...	Lauren Adrian
Martin Sheen	...	George Morgan
Karolinah Villarreal	...	Young Lauren
Debrianna Mansini	...	Flight Attendant
Randall Batinkoff	...	Frank Kozerski
Gonzalo Mauro Montiel Aguirre	...	Curandero (as Gonzalo Mauro Montiel)
Antonio Banderas	...	Alfonso Diaz
Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez	...	Lourdes Jimenez (as Zaide Sylvia Gutierrez)
Amelia Zapata	...	Lourdes's Friend
Julio Cesar Cedillo	...	Julio
Jorge Urzua	...	Eduardo Lopes
Ruben G. Rojas	...	Eduardo's Man (as Ruben Rojas)

Storyline

Lauren, an impassioned American reporter for the Chicago Sentinel heads to Juarez, a Mexican bordertown, in order to investigate a series of mysterious slayings involving young factory women from all over Mexico. As she discovers hundreds of victims, she gains the trust of local factory workers but falls into danger.

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Plot Keywords:

factory | juarez | border | reporter | murder | 

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Taglines:

Truth can be murder.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence including a brutal rape, sexuality, nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

movie website Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish Central American Indian languages

Release Date:

22 February 2007 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Verdades que matan

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$21,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,329,799

Company Credits

Production Co:

Möbius Entertainment,El Norte Productions,Nuyorican Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A "maquiladora" or "maquila" is a Mexican term for a factory operating in a free trade zone which import raw materials and equipment under tariff-free and duty-free conditions then export back to the country which they imported from. The factories are involved in a number of commercial activities including assembly, processing and manufacturing.

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Quotes

Eva Jimenez: [putting a Mexican flower clip in Lauren's newly-dyed black hair] Now you look like me.

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Connections

Referenced in Exposing the Juarez Murders: The Making of 'Bordertown' (2008)

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Soundtracks

Dale Taller
Written by Rafael E. Rivera
Performed by Rafizone
Courtesy of BIHG, Inc.

User Reviews

A for effort even if it's only a C

Other than Antonio Banderas (who mails it in as usual, though at least he took all that crap out of his hair), the cast does a more than adequate job or portraying an important story. Eva, in particular, evokes a genuine sense of despair and hope strung together simultaneously. While the script and dialog are unquestionably formulaic, the pathos of the story and evocation of place save this story and the acting is workman like if not fantastic. Not much has been said about the effects of NAFTA and the bordertowns like Juarez that have sprung up and swallowed communities whole and this movie is at least a step in the right direction for rectifying this and telling at least a fragment of an important tale. This movie could only possibly be funny to someone who thought Schindler's List was a real hoot as well.