Emilio (2008) User Reviews

A Marvelous, Haunting, Riveting, Heartbreaking Film

[sservice-adam · 10/10 · 12 August 2009]

I saw this beautifully crafted film at the San Diego Latino Film Fest and was completely entranced. Of all the recent immigration films this one is the most intelligent and emotionally involving. Don't let the tabloidish kidnapping theme throw you off -- this is more a sensitive coming of age story than some politically correct message film about Latino immigrants. A surprisingly sophisticated story that made me think for days. The cinematography seems like a recent European film like Rosetta or L'enfent, the new faces give invariably amazing performances. Additionally the film has a very classical, "Searchers"-like quality. About a kid from Mexico who comes to Los Angeles to find his 14-year-old sister whom he suspects has been kidnapped by nefarious people, the story is also a kind of "Odyssey" or "Inferno" depicting the many sides of the City of Angels - but mainly sides we seldom see, starting with his Skid Row arrival on a Greyhound bus. He soon enlists all kinds of oddball people in his search, from highest to lowest in society, and his determination and single-minded focus is unbelievable. The actor who plays Emilio gives what seems to me a breakout performance - but this is an "actor's" film with a lot of great performances. Ultimately his search becomes heartbreaking, but I won't spoil the ending. Only to say that everyone should go see this the moment it comes out in theaters. A surprising, stirring, really great find of a first film.

Totally Boss Movie

[flacosanchez · 10/10 · 1 March 2013]

I have been waiting for this film to come out ever since I saw it at the New York HBO Latino Film Festival so I can tell my friends to see it. It's a great film -- hippest film about Mexicans in the US and the experiences they go through, and a heartbreaking story. Nothing like it anywhere. It's about Los Angeles mainly, but really it could be any big city in the US. This is real. I know lots of people like the ones in the movie. Just people trying to survive, and trying to help someone who is trying to find his sister. I won't give away the ending, but hopefully this film will be coming out so I can recommend it. I believe some of the actors in this movie will be big movie starts some day.

This Movie has to be the worst movie I have seen in my life.

[kmsubaru · 1/10 · 11 June 2009]

This is a very low budget movie, really I cannot tell you enough how bad this movie is. Save your money or go see some other movie. I watch this movie screening in San Diego and I am so glad I did not pay for the tickets. The sound of the movie it's the worst of all.

Do yourself a favor and do not go and see this movie. You will leave the theater with a very bad taste. the story is just not credible at all. There is really not much you can say about this movie except that its so bad, people were leaving after the first 25 minutes of the movie. the only reason I did not leave was because the person that gave me the tickets was right next to me.