El Norte

El Norte is a 1983 British/American film. It is a drama telling the story of Guatemalan refugees in the United States from their own perspective. It has elements of magical realism. These people felt real to me, and their journey was -for me- a long trip of dread for what I felt from the beginning was a story that couldn't end well.

via youtube:



Slant Magazine gives it 2 out of 4 stars and says,

The film's melodramatic determinism is so absurd that by the time the film has ground its way toward its inevitable tragic conclusion, sympathy for Enrique and Rosa's plight has long since given way to annoyance at Nava's redundant manipulations.

Roger Ebert says, ""El Norte" (1983) tells their story with astonishing visual beauty, with unashamed melodrama, with anger leavened by hope. It is a "Grapes of Wrath" for our time" and "Seen after 20 years, "El Norte" retains its direct power to move and anger. The story needs no updating; it repeats every day." It gets a score of 80% at Rotten Tomatoes.