BORDERTOWN
US, 2007, 112 minutes, Colour.
Jennifer Lopez, Martin Sheen, Maya Zapata, Antonio Banderas, Sonia Braga.
Directed by Gregory Nava.
Bordertown was written and directed by Gregory Nava, responsible for such films as El Norte, Mi Famiglia, Selena and Why Do Fools Fall In Love?
This is the kind of film that appeals to the emotions of the average audience but is ridiculed by critics. It was savaged when it appeared in competition at the Berlin film festival in 2007 – though defended by the director of the festival who stated that if this film was able to save one life it was worthwhile.
The film uses a familiar formula: it focuses on crime in a town, this time the border between Mexico and the United States, the cities of El Paso and Juarez. It explains how women are used in the new American factories on the Mexican side of the border (for economic reasons) which work for twenty-four hours and have staffs of women in the various shifts. The dangers for the women occur in their returning home by bus and walking through the city streets where they are in danger of preying men. The film shows how some women are the victims of a particular group of men.
Antonio Banderas plays a local newspaper owner who runs the risk of attack and death by exposing the crimes. Jennifer Lopez portrays a Chicago newspaperwoman who is sent to investigate the murders. She follows in the path of one of the killed women and is almost killed herself.
The film does not have an easy ending, showing that violence actually wins the day.
The film was criticised for having Jennifer Lopez – who had appeared in Nava’s Selina – but who was committed to the themes and the exposure of abuse in the film. Antonio Banderas gives his usual performance and Martin Sheen appears as the Chicago editor.
The film is emotional, focuses on harsh realities, is critical of the effects of United States capitalism on Mexico – but wears its heart on its sleeve very strongly which alienates audiences and critics who feel that they don’t want to be preached to about social issues.
1.The impact of the film? Its relevance? Message – straight and obvious? Dramatising the issues? The information about the oppressed women? The involvement of Amnesty International?
2.Gregory Nava and his films, concern for Latin America? For Latin American audiences? For the wider audience? The using of the telenovella style? Highly emotional – and the response of those who prefer less emotion and more subtle message transmission?
3.The information about NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement? The building of factories in Mexico, along the American border, the hundred companies, the amount of work, the television and computer-making, the rapid expansion? The using of women at lower pay? Harsher conditions? Their not complaining? The dangers for the women, especially at the end of shifts? The police and their indifference? The lack of response of the American government? The Mexican government? The opening with the various headlines about rapes and murders, especially the women in Juarez?
4.The genre of the investigative journalist, the conventions? Lauren and her comment about Lois Lane? Intrepid, the past and its effect on her, her sense of crusade, identifying with the women? Her interactions with George and the office? His cynical comment about no longer any place for investigative journalism? Audience expectations?
5.The locations, New Mexico, the Mexican border, Juarez? The vast city and its squalor, the factories and their modern style, the shanty town, the brothels and bars, the world of the wealthy, the aid organisations? The photographing and styles for the city, the collages?
6.The musical score, the songs? Juanez and his song? The final songs?
7.Eva’s story, at work, wanting to buy the doll, late, going down the lane, pursued, hurrying to the bus, the driver and his asking about gas, his threatening her, the rape, the other man, the brutality, her being buried? The statistics, the mass graves, the role of the police?
8.The newspaper, Diaz, Antonio Banderas and his performance? The paper’s distribution, integrity, the staff, harassment, confiscations, the police? Lauren and her arrival, the past relationship with Diaz? His being married, children? The risks in taking up the case? His belief in the principles? His hiding Eva in the roof, going to the graves, seeing him at work, at home, the discussions with Lauren, his regrets? The pathos of his death? The funeral? His wife looking at Lauren?
9.Teresa and her organisation, her mixing in two worlds, her affluent background, her compassion, her understanding of the Indians, their imaginations? The doctor, his care of Eva? The party, taking Eva and Lauren? Diaz’s death and her going to the hospital? Eva running away?
10.Eva and her fears, surviving, relationship with her mother, going to Diaz for help, trusting him, meeting Lauren, trusting her? Hiding in the ceiling from the police? Lauren taking her to the hotel? The attempted abduction, her running away? Going to Teresa, the doctor’s care? Her nightmares, saying that she saw the Devil? Her courage, identifying the bus driver from the photos, going to the party, the enjoyment of seeing Juanez and touching him? Her running away, her trying to get to the United States, going with the group, in the boot of the car, their being discovered by the police, the return? The Medal of Mary? Giving it to Lauren? Her going back to her mother’s house, her attacking the rapist, her saving Lauren? Her going to the court to testify?
11.George, as played by Martin Sheen, the American perspective, Chicago, Lauren as foreign correspondent and her ambitions, George sending her on the mission to Mexico, the phone calls, his encouragement of the article and the investigation? His comments about investigative journalism and entertainment? The suppression of the article, Frank and his giving the information to Lauren? The senator’s visit, his being at the party in Juarez? The bosses? Lauren taunting him about his integrity? His being the catalyst for her final decisions?
12.Lauren and the flashbacks to her childhood, telling the story to George, her father’s death? Relationship with him? Her arrival in Mexico, her push, the interview with the police? The relationship with Diaz in the past? Meeting Eva, hiding her, taking her to the hotel, the chase? The pursuit of Diaz and Lauren in the warehouse? Taking Eva to Teresa, the relationship with Teresa, getting the information, the party, her meeting Salamanca, flirting with him, seeing the rapist? Going to the factory, discussions with Salamanca, the relationship with him? Her later taunting him with it? Her repeating Eva’s journey, going to the junkyard instead of the appointed place, the driver and his attack, the rapist? Her falling into the mass grave? Her going to Chicago, to fight for the article, her clashes with George, her return? Teresa with the news that Eva had run away? Her being followed in the car, the fire to the shantytown, the rapist attacking her, her being rescued by Eva?
13.Salamanca, the affluent Mexican families, in league with the government, the police, globalisation, his Harvard background? His flirting with her? The sexual encounter? Her confronting him in the factory?
14.The police, corruption, arresting the Egyptian and keeping him incommunicado – but saying that he was controlling the rapes from inside the jail?
15.The portrait of the women, in the factories, their work, travelling on the buses, exposure to dangers? The number of victims?
16.Lauren and her decision to stay, the courts, with the paper?
17.The film receiving bad critical reviews, people commenting on Jennifer Lopez and her makeup, her taking on this role – and ignoring the actual themes and the crusading aspect of the film?
