Review of Trade (2007) by Chads. — 30 Jan 2008
Don't let a man do a woman's job. The sex trafficking of minors is a story that should be unrelentingly grim (like Lukas Moodyson's "Lilya-4-Ever"); a female screenwriter knows this.
"Trade" stares at the sordid world of child exploitation, and flinches. Rather than be at the front and center of the viewer's attention, the story of two underaged girls(one Polish, one Mexican) being transported to New Jersey for auction, inexplicably, is sometimes used to frame the curiously cheerful auxiliary story of two boys(one American, one Mexican) pursuing the kidnappers.
"Trade" is a road movie about the sex trafficking of minors. Sometimes Jorge(Cesar Ramos) remembers that Adriana(Paulina Gaitan) is, in all likelihood, going to be raped; sometimes he forgets; or rather, the movie forgets.
The cultural differences between Ray(Kevin Kline) and Jorge(he doesn't like Ray's classical music) that "Trade" insists on exploring is inappropriate to say the least. In one scene, the younger charge gets to drive.
..and have control over the music. If "Trade" was written by a woman, Veronica(Alicja Bachleda-Curus) wouldn't exit "Trade" in spectacular "Thelma & Louise"-like fashion.
As much as the Polish girl loves her baby boy, it's unlikely that she'd abandon Adriana(Paulina Gaitan), a younger girl, to fend off their two kidnappers on her own. "Trade" is too entertaining, and too easy to watch.
This review of Trade (2007) was written by Chads. on 30 Jan 2008.
Trade has generally received mixed reviews.
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