Review of Bordertown (2007) by Phil T — 23 Jan 2008

Jennifer Lopez is one of those undeniably annoying people in existence. Like Will Smith, â??Markyâ?? Mark Wahlberg and indeed Luke Goss she has manage to transcend the boundaries of music and popular culture to infiltrate the motion picture business and not just that, but unlike the Spice Girls or Mcfly actually make a lasting bit of business out of it.

However this hasnâ??t been with out its regular pitfalls. Where as The Fresh Prince regularly chugged along hit after hit on the radio as well as the screen, J-Lo saw fresh to stupidly change her name along with her boyfriend (of the time, piff paff Puff) and never managed to really balance the two. While the music career was doing well, the movies bombed and vice versa.

Oh ok so there were a couple of nice rom coms in there but it canâ??t be denied that sheâ??d never managed to hit the heady heights of the undeniably awesome Out of Sight where she even managed to blow away one Mr Clooney (sorry girls but its FACT!). However just recently her music has been pretty poorâ?¦.

Bordertown is the story of an investigative journalist (Lopez) who hooks up with an old colleague (Banderas) to report on the murder of some Mexican women who all work for an American factory that is supported by the USâ??s fair trade agreement. When one 16 year old girl manages to survive a horrific attack, she hooks up with the journalist to try to expose the men behind her torment, even though she believes one to be the devil himself.

It is strange that papers in Chicago would be attempting to pick up stories about murders near El Paso but in all honesty I kinda missed that point after a while as the story was actually quite compelling (and chillingly loosely based on fact). In the regard that its certainly a story of the underdog is understatement of the century (to give anymore away would constitute a spoiler) but suffice to say that a lot more is happening then first meets the eye.

Lopez for once is actually quite rock solid as the journalist tourmented by a past which she is so desperate to forget that she has forced herself into her lifes work. This inevitably gives her a complex so big it causes her to make promises she canâ??t back up, and causes her to be so naïve she doesnâ??t realize that sheâ??s putting herself and her sources life into harms way until its wayyyyyy to late. Maya Zapata as Eva is also immensely impressive, tortured, scared and relying on the strong willed people around her to get through this god awful mess. Her later realization feels as natural progressive as it should and is a strong emotional point of the movie.

Banderas however is regrettably redundant, relegated to sidekick, his role is never really expanded much with his fight to report the truth in a corrupt nation, constantly under censorship from the police and the politics. Later on the films true feelings towards Capitalism and Corporate America spill out in their red tinged anger and is laid on pretty thick. This is somewhat unfortunate, as it seems to try to infer a direct link between higher government and the murders but thatâ??s not really proven barring a few senators at a birthday party. If many of this inferences are fact then it is a truly horrific state of affairs, but since JFK Iâ??ve learned to take these inferences with a pinch of salt.

As a statement it certainly raises a few questions about the susceptablity of a nations morality verses the need to make a saving on the bottom line. For the ever enlightened conspiracy theorist it certainly provides plenty of fodder to the cause, but its certainly not a film to be watched lightly for anyone. And while Zapata is excellent, Lopez seriously carries off a role that goes to show that some where in there is an actress of some note. In fact the longer she can stay off the music to make stuff like this the better.

Unfortunately I understand shes on tour with her current husband. Oh buggerâ?¦.