Pluskylang Great Film overall

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Baseshment I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

vivalanathan If the purpose of a film is to simply elicit an emotional response from the audience, Los Bastardos succeeds in spectacular fashion. Ultra- realistic and unflinching, it tells the story of two illegal immigrant brothers and their struggle to make enough money to support ailing family back in Mexico when they are hired to kill a single suburban mother. The long takes, no soundtrack, and use of non-actors create the feeling one might get from watching a documentary. The pace is achingly slow, with very little dialogue and minimal plot. Yet, the sense of dread and uneasiness reach a level very few films are able to achieve. Watching this film is about as enjoyable as getting dental work done, but the emotional impact one is left with after the credits roll is undeniable. It will stick with you and maybe even haunt you for a considerable amount of time after. For the patient viewer not expecting your typical Hollywood blockbuster or rom-com, Los Bastardos is a very unique, devastating, and powerful film. I highly recommend this film be watched, but with an open mind as it is unconventional.

valis1949 LOS BASTARDOS (dir. Amat Escalante) The film is an unflinching attempt to apply the principles of DOGMA 95, or something quite similar, and this starkly unconventional film succeeds very well. DOGMA 95 was a Danish film movement which was conceived as a reaction to Big Budget Hollywood films, and initiated new ways to tell a story with film. Lars Van Trier and Thomas Vinterberg, authors of the guiding principles, felt that the job of the modern filmmaker was to mirror reality as closely as possible-with Absolutely NO Frills. DOGMA 95 films would only use ambient sound-No Soundtracks, employ no fancy lighting techniques, use improvisational dialogue only, non-actors would be employed exclusively, and only hand-held camera work was allowed. LOS BASTARDOS begins with an opening shot of over three silent minutes in which the two lead characters walk into focus from far off in the distance. Most films attempt to ensnare the viewer immediately, yet in this film you feel that you are, 'waiting for something to happen'. The camera is used only to observe and record, and the story is allowed to emerge with no embellishments. A hired killing is the slim conceit of this film, and the film unfolds at a slow pace, and has the feeling of a documentary because none of the action could be confused with conventional acting. This film is not for everyone, but I would highly recommend it. Winner of numerous awards.

alex-2261 I get why a lot of people don't like this film. I get why lots think its a bad script. I think its difficult in the same way Dryer is difficult, or Bresson or Dumont. Its slow, but its not elegiac, or full of "beauty".....nor is it sociological in its depiction of crime and exploitation. Its simply a dark dark existential sort of nightmare. It contains a social critique to be sure, but thats not the focus. Escalante is a director to keep an eye on. This a disturbing and singular film. Its also a film that will haunt you.....probably even if you didn't think it as good as I thought it was. Its a film experience you wont forget. I saw it in norway, at a festival and at 11pm. People left the theatre in shocked silence.

John Seal Perhaps Arizona Governor Jan Brewer watched Los Bastardos before she started spouting off about illegal immigrants beheading good red-blooded Americans whilst corrupting children with pinatas full of wacky tobacky and nose candy. That's one explanation. The other is that she read the poll numbers and knew she needed a big burst of xenophobia if she wanted to keep her job. Whichever may be the case, Los Bastardos is a serious, provocative, and deliberately paced drama about L.A. day laborers Fausto and Jesus (Ruben Sosa and Jesus Moises Rodriguez), and their unfortunate decision to get involved with a suburban crackhead. It's only a movie, Jan…only a movie.