Review of Sleep Dealer (2008) by Ashish T — 02 Aug 2013

The core premise is quite interesting, with a lot of subtext into the US' attitude towards immigration as seen from the other side - this is not a movie that would ever emerge from Hollywood or or a story be appreciated by a US audience - but it's decent, interesting, and gets into details intelligently and sensitively. There's a lot of American-baiting as well, if you catch it, especially when it comes to the TV programs.

The acting is good - Luis Pena and Leonor Varela are really, really good in the delivery of their characters, and the setting, environments, and characters are very, very spot-on.

The ending is where it gets let down, a little; maybe we've been spoiled by the Hollywood concept of the climax having to be the most epic ever - but this one keeps with the movie's little people, little problems, and little solutions being a microcosmic representation of a larger issue. It still feels a little forced, a little unrealistic, though.

All in a ll, a nice, subversive experience.