JIMBO (Ian Lerch) is a quiet, troubled sixteen year old kid who works as a getaway driver for his unbalanced father; a Psychotic criminal known as "El Tigron" (James Seaman) and his lover Lolli (Megan Rippey) who are on a bank robbing spree. As they arrive to the town where their new mark is, Jimbo notices a high end prostitute named Kelly (Sylvia Cochinski) who distracts him and makes him almost blow the robbery when he unsuccessfully tries to talk to her, leaving his position as getaway driver. The trio manages to get away with a good amount of money, despite Jimbo's distractions. They arrive at a place in the middle of nowhere where El Tigron and Lolli stop to celebrate. After years of bullying, Jimbo snaps and decides to take what he believes is rightfully his and return to claim his price; Kelly.
JIMBO is a harsh crime story, but also a harsher coming-of-age tale of a kid who is awakening to manhood despite being constantly crushed by his abusive father. El Tigron lives his life as an outlaw, spewing tough guy anti-establishment phrases and believing his own crap, he even has stickers INSIDE the car (wouldn't want to give-away his true intentions to the world by posting them outside) with rebellious mottos, fully convinced that he is a rebel and outlaw, even going so far as to ditching cellphones as if they were shackles that kept him from freedom. The cast informs us of the back-stories of each character. We know just by looking at them that Jimbo's mother has either left them or passed away, El Tigron likes to feel like a tough guy, by keeping someone weaker like Jimbo under his thumb, despite the fact that he doesn't seem to tolerate nor want the kid around, except as a getaway driver (one we even doubt is effective at driving) Lolli is almost as young as Jimbo, she dresses up almost like a little girl. She's a runaway, someone who found in the much older El Tigron what she couldn't find in her real father. In a way, she doesn't take Jimbo's spot as her "stepmom" but more like a stepsister, one who clearly rejoices in knowing that she's preferred by El Tigron's affections over Jimbo and not just because she gives him sex and validates his tough-macho act, but because she's a better pupil and partner than Jimbo is when it comes to crime. She's both surrogate daughter and lover, and someone much more capable at violence and crime than Jimbo is, she's always riding Shotgun while Jimbo sits in the back, like babies do. Jimbo's sexuality is also the main catalyst for his rebellion against El Tigron. Sex is all around him, in his dreams, right in front of him between El Tigron and Lolli, in magazines, even when he pumps gasoline. To Jimbo sex equals power, El Tigron may be a terrible role model, but he's still the one that Jimbo gets. He sees in him a man who takes what he wants and haves what he wants. Jimbo has an almost prophetic dream, the road leads to a naked woman, to sex, and it is his destiny. When he sees Kelly it becomes clear, fulfilling the prophecy of his dreams, she's where the road must lead to, where power leads to. Once the robbery goes down, he defies El Tigron, clumsily, but still a step in the right direction for him, he abandons his father and his surrogate sister/competitor and rides like in his dream to meet Kelly, to buy her and become his own man, to become El Tigron. Unfortunately, another man takes Kelly for himself. Oh, well, perhaps another time, then.
JIMBO is excellently crafted on a pure technical level. This is a level of polish that all short-narratives should strive for if they wish to be noticed. And JIMBO is the kind of work that gets talent noticed, both in front and behind the camera. Excellent casting all around, with each member of the cast giving standout performances, from Ian Lerch as the titular character, he projects Jimbo's conflicted thoughts, his self-doubt, shame and frustration and the stutter caused by him reaching boiling point. James Seaman as "El Tigron" is a delightful bully, sleazy and cruel. Megan Therese Rippey as Lolli projects sex and a volatile personality that shouldn't be underestimated when it comes to violence, and Sylvia Kochinski comes off as icy and mysterious, the unattainable object of Jimbo's desires. Talent behind the camera is top notch as director Rodrigo Zanforlin directs with confidence, his assured hand blends his noir and western influences creating a fully believable world of harshness that is merciless to the weak. Guigo Foggiatto and Leco Moura's cinematography is sweaty, scorching hot and dry, it fits the desolation of this dusty, sun-drenched world and serving its themes. The camera work captures the emptiness of the spaces as a reflection of Jimbo's own sense of neglect. Excellent work all around.
JIMBO is a harsh crime story, but also a harsher coming-of-age tale of a kid who is awakening to manhood despite being constantly crushed by his abusive father. El Tigron lives his life as an outlaw, spewing tough guy anti-establishment phrases and believing his own crap, he even has stickers INSIDE the car (wouldn't want to give-away his true intentions to the world by posting them outside) with rebellious mottos, fully convinced that he is a rebel and outlaw, even going so far as to ditching cellphones as if they were shackles that kept him from freedom. The cast informs us of the back-stories of each character. We know just by looking at them that Jimbo's mother has either left them or passed away, El Tigron likes to feel like a tough guy, by keeping someone weaker like Jimbo under his thumb, despite the fact that he doesn't seem to tolerate nor want the kid around, except as a getaway driver (one we even doubt is effective at driving) Lolli is almost as young as Jimbo, she dresses up almost like a little girl. She's a runaway, someone who found in the much older El Tigron what she couldn't find in her real father. In a way, she doesn't take Jimbo's spot as her "stepmom" but more like a stepsister, one who clearly rejoices in knowing that she's preferred by El Tigron's affections over Jimbo and not just because she gives him sex and validates his tough-macho act, but because she's a better pupil and partner than Jimbo is when it comes to crime. She's both surrogate daughter and lover, and someone much more capable at violence and crime than Jimbo is, she's always riding Shotgun while Jimbo sits in the back, like babies do. Jimbo's sexuality is also the main catalyst for his rebellion against El Tigron. Sex is all around him, in his dreams, right in front of him between El Tigron and Lolli, in magazines, even when he pumps gasoline. To Jimbo sex equals power, El Tigron may be a terrible role model, but he's still the one that Jimbo gets. He sees in him a man who takes what he wants and haves what he wants. Jimbo has an almost prophetic dream, the road leads to a naked woman, to sex, and it is his destiny. When he sees Kelly it becomes clear, fulfilling the prophecy of his dreams, she's where the road must lead to, where power leads to. Once the robbery goes down, he defies El Tigron, clumsily, but still a step in the right direction for him, he abandons his father and his surrogate sister/competitor and rides like in his dream to meet Kelly, to buy her and become his own man, to become El Tigron. Unfortunately, another man takes Kelly for himself. Oh, well, perhaps another time, then.
JIMBO is excellently crafted on a pure technical level. This is a level of polish that all short-narratives should strive for if they wish to be noticed. And JIMBO is the kind of work that gets talent noticed, both in front and behind the camera. Excellent casting all around, with each member of the cast giving standout performances, from Ian Lerch as the titular character, he projects Jimbo's conflicted thoughts, his self-doubt, shame and frustration and the stutter caused by him reaching boiling point. James Seaman as "El Tigron" is a delightful bully, sleazy and cruel. Megan Therese Rippey as Lolli projects sex and a volatile personality that shouldn't be underestimated when it comes to violence, and Sylvia Kochinski comes off as icy and mysterious, the unattainable object of Jimbo's desires. Talent behind the camera is top notch as director Rodrigo Zanforlin directs with confidence, his assured hand blends his noir and western influences creating a fully believable world of harshness that is merciless to the weak. Guigo Foggiatto and Leco Moura's cinematography is sweaty, scorching hot and dry, it fits the desolation of this dusty, sun-drenched world and serving its themes. The camera work captures the emptiness of the spaces as a reflection of Jimbo's own sense of neglect. Excellent work all around.