Los Bastardos is a film about two very lonely Mexican immigrants in Los Angeles, who are forced to spend the evening with an even lonelier American woman, under extreme circumstances. Enter Jesús and Fausto, in the first shot they are seen walking for over four minutes, Fausto, the youngest is playing with a soccer ball which he leaves behind at the end of the shot, this could represent the fact that he's leaving behind his innocence for on that day they have been hired to kill someone. The plot always makes people think this is a fast paced thriller, or a "Funny Games" type ordeal, but no. The film plays like a Carlos Reygadas movie, once there is an action there is no reaction, but contemplation of the moment. This gives the spectator time to ponder and let the feelings sink in, particularly about the life-style of Mexican day-laborers which is something very depressing to watch. The story is taken at a very slow pace, and every turn leads to something unexpected, and the use of non-actors makes the situations feel very authentic and even logical, as though they could in fact happen in that order. The amount of realism is accentuated by scenery of Los Angeles, beautifully photographed. So yes, this is a deliberately slow film but it builds emotion with its pace only to destroy one's emotions at the end. The camera language speaks to the audience, this is a very well directed film. In the end, I thought this was the kind of cinema I needed at the time, and I could see it again to analyze the amazing photography and the fascinating pace. Its a very peculiar type of cinema, but its so well made and has such profound emotion that if it falls short of masterpiece its because we are not used to a film being so determined to be so casually profound.
Review of The Bastards
