Review of Under the Same Moon (2007) by Everett J — 16 May 2008

La Misma Luna (Under the Same Moon).

Directed by Patricia Riggen.

Written by Ligiah Villalobos.

Starring Kate del Castillo, Eugenio Derbez, Adrian Alonso, America Ferrera, Gabriel Porras.

Preaching to the widest possible audience, this film tells a well-worn story of a young boyâ??s abandonment by and subsequent search for his mother.

Carlitos (Alonso) is a young boy living in Mexico. His mother Rosario (del Castillo) has previously left for America after a difficult passage and has landed in East L.A. She sends Carlitos money every month and promises him she will send for him as soon as she is able. The film focuses on Carlitosâ??s journey into America to find his mother. At times the story is cloying and sentimental and this is best expressed in the numerous closeups of Carlitos looking wan, impish, and otherwise impossibly cute. As he mugs for the camera, the lesson of this film becomes clear. This is a film that exploits a basic human inclination to root for children in film whenever they are in peril. Itâ??s impossible, of course, to root against such a put upon child, as to do so is fundamentally against all our instincts to protect them from all danger. Subsequently, itâ??s a safe bet that audiences will energetically follow the course of events and get emotional at the appropriate moments.

This is essentially a manipulative film that nevertheless manages to elicit occasional moments of genuine emotional truth throughout. Alonso certainly plays cute but he is also able to underplay scenes when the audience is most supposed to feel sorry for his predicament. These scenes are quite effective in building upon previous scenes that depict Carlitos in various stages of distress. The journey itself is fraught with tensions and happy coincidences that seem a bit too convenient to be fully believable.

The most significant aspect of this film deals with the nature of illegal immigration and the myriad difficulties facing those who dare to risk their lives crossing over. Rosario makes the crossing by water and Carlitos finds a couple who conceal him in their vehicle. The INS is depicted as a constant threat to the security and well-being of illegals who have managed to make it into this country. Carlitos meets fellow illegal Enrique (Derbez) after being rescued from child prostitution. Together they form an odd pair and Enrique plays the role of the surrogate parent who provides just enough authority and guidance to ensure Carlitos will safely make his way to his mother.

The plight of illegals in this country is demonstrated in this film by the type of work that is available to them. Rosario is a cleaning woman who is sacked one day because her employer has merely decided to try someone else. When Rosario asks for her pay for the past few days she is laughingly told to call the cops. The implication is that as an illegal, Rosario would possibly be deported if her status were to be proven. Enrique picks fruit and after Carlitos is brought to the worksite he too starts to work. The INS raids the place forcing both Enrique and Carlitos to hide. This difficulty brings them together as they slowly make their way across the country toward Los Angeles.

Kate del Castillo brings a solidity to Rosario that cements her as a strong, capable presence in the film. Del Castillo has a tenderness in her eyes that articulates Rosarioâ??s concern for her son and the difficulties that she faces. Eugenio Derbez has a frenetic energy that is masked by an outward calm. Heâ??s self-contained but also susceptible to outward displays of frustration and occasional aggression. Gabriel Porras plays the put-upon Paco with a graceful resignation. Paco always seems to be on the verge of an emotional breakdown and this is most perfectly realized in Porrasâ??s eyes.

Overall, this film certainly tugs at the heartstrings and expects to emotionally infect its audience with a deliberate message of unbridled hope. It wants to sell the detrimental effects of illegal immigration and unapologetically paints a grim picture of the working conditions they face. Ultimately, this message comes through loud and clear. The narrative works considerably well in patches but overall some saccharine moments manage to strip it of any legitimate emotional power. Itâ??s a modestly satisfying film that gives its audience precisely what it imagines it wants.