A Day Without a Mexican

Altogether I found A DAY WITHOUT A Mexican to be highly entertaining - I would've hoped for something of the caliber of DO THE RIGHT THING or BLAZING SADDLES, and this is definitely not up to those standards, but as independent films go, this one definitely beats a lot of the competition.

Basically a b-movie, sci-fi spoof with a lot of social commentary thrown in, I found A DAY... to be a bit didactic in places - the interrupting statistics were highly unnecessary and nearly destroyed the energy in an otherwise fine film. But I think one's ultimate take on this film will come down to ones' politics - I agree with those expressed in the film, so - while I found the film to be hammering its' points a bit harder than it should (not all Americans are THAT ignorant of the rest of the world), overall I considered it to be fun and provocative.

I have seen tons of indie films, and - just in that I was actually able to watch this one all the way through - this one manages to be quite good. Film shouldn't just be about explosions, or wallowing in some hipster's fantasy of 'the underground,' or dream sequences with midgets, or boring white 20somethings screwing around - a film that tries to engage with the world is a real breath of fresh air every now and then.

There are times when you just have to take a movie for what it is- a movie. Instead of worrying about racism and social commentary-enjoy the idea of the movie. I liked the movie as a whole because it had an original idea for a script. It gives you an idea of what an important role each of us plays in this big old world we live in. At the very least, the music can be appreciated. It was diverse, appropriate, and fun to listen to. It wasn't the best movie I've ever seen, but if you've ever lived in Southern California, this movie will make you laugh (at least a couple of times). And if your really lucky, it will also broaden your mind.

I just finished watching A Day Without a Mexican, so my comments are fresh.

As some other reviewers have mentioned, this film had the potential to be much more in terms of social commentary. The fact that it went in a comedic direction isn't bad in itself, it's just the execution of everything seemed so flawed.

There were chances to make statements, and to be relevant; one can still do that while still being funny. It's just -- I never laughed during the entire film, and I never felt as if any point was driven home, so it failed both goals.

I won't call this a bad film, but it's certainly not worth the $4 rental fee. If it shows up on TV for free, go ahead and watch it, otherwise find something else to spend your money on. Stereotypes can be used to convey a serious message (see Hollywood Shuffle), however I'm not sure what this film's message really was. Was it that Mexicans are a cheap economic revenue? That they're our maids, and token love interests?

As for bad acting, I can get over that. The problem is with the script. The initial idea sounds great, but the initial idea needs followed up with original and clever thought; that's where this film went downhill quickly.

Sergio Arau's satire "A Day Without a Mexican" takes a poignant look at something that has been in the news lately. Mr. Arau's new take on the theme he has explored already, give us a vision about how inter connected we are in this country. This movie will resonate more with people from California. Mexicans in that state account for most of the immigrants, illegal, or otherwise.

We are given the premise that a fog is enveloping the state and all Mexicans have disappeared into it. The Anglos, so dependent for much of the work from Mexicans don't seem to be coping well when the reality about having to do something they take for granted will be done by their Mexican workers.

Yareli Arizmendi and Eduardo Palomo do fine work under Mr. Arau's direction.

It's a dark comedy, people. And it's brilliantly done. Sure, it's made on a low budget, with mostly unknown cast, but it really is an interesting question-if we deport all the Mexicans, what would happen to a city like Los Angeles where they fill a major role in so many areas of life and commerce. In this case, the world falls apart, and the results are entertaining but telling. There's always a ring of truth amidst the satire and humor. I saw this on a whim years ago when it first came out, and I continue to remember it all these years later. That's how powerful it is. Deserves a look for anyone debating immigration because of the questions it inspires. And it's also a diverting film. Highly recommended.