Review of Cesar Chavez (2014) by David S — 02 May 2014

Cesar Chavez is not a brilliant adaptation of the true story of Cesar Chavez. The film is directed by the talented spanish director Diego Luna, he did not really work to make the film captivating. The screenwriter Keir Pearson (Hotel Rwanda) did not put much effort into this the writing for Cesar Chavez as he did compared to Hotel Rwanda back in 2004. As advertised, Cesar Chavez may look like a triumphant movie as advertised, but is just a movie recognized by the fact that it stars Michael Pena, America Ferrara, and John Malkovich.

The film opens with a dragging introduction to the life of Cesar Chavez. Michael Pena is just shown leading his group of people to help him promote civil rights and his labor activists. Cesar is not a violent man and does not believe issues to be resolved with violence. In the process of his goals for civil rights, Cesar's duties is wrecked with his family.

I was trying to stay awake with this movie. Generally, I have proper attention for a movie fast or slow, but Cesar Chavez was like watching a boring version of Downtown Abbey. There was not enough context in Cesar Chavez to understand the goals of peace. Instead of focusing on more important plot points, I felt that I was just watching a herd of people getting ready to fight and even in that moment whatever moment was intended to be action-packed was not compelling at all.

I felt that with Michael Pena being the lead that he would have pulled this off to be award-winning. Especially after his cop thriller End of Watch. Pena may be mellow, but up front, he is generally a top-notch actor. He is the right man to play Cesar Chavez just I see it that director Luna rushed this film and did not work together to make this film brilliant.

Generally Diego Luna works his with good friend Gael Garcia Bernal. They produce together and starred in the sensational 2002 foreign film Y tu Mama Tambien. With Cesar Chavez, Bernal was not involved at all with Cesar Chavez. That could be why the film lacked in character development, since Bernal is a good actor and knows how to act. He could have incorporated good acting into this movie if he was involved with it.

Cesar Chavez not my favorite and very disappointing. Out of all the foreign films I have enjoyed, this film lacked entirely. Maybe one day soon Diego Luna will redeem himself by starring in another amazing foreign film, or work with Gael Garcia Bernal on a film. I would like to see that one day. 1/4 stars.