It means with out a name. The title refers to the untold and nameless people who have died trying to get into the United States by any means necessary. At a point on the border there is a sign that reads "Sin Nombre" to warn and remember all the people who have died that we cant tell who they were.
We meet Willy aka El Casper, a young thug and enforcer in a Mexican street gang, he is bringing El Smiley into the gang, and we watch him as well as other members of the gang kick the crap out of the kid. They name him Smiley because when they pick him up off the ground he is smiling with blood pouring out his mouth. Willy makes a mistake and visits his girl friend (Martha) while he is supposed to be on guard duty. When Lil Mago the head of their gang finds out he thinks that Willy should share and goes to rape the girl, he while struggling with her kicks her down, her head hits a rock and she's killed.
Willy, Lil Mago and Smiley go on a "mission" they are going to rob some immigrants on the top of a train on their way north towards the States. On the train is Sayra who is traveling with some family hoping to get to New Jersey. Lil Mago attempts to rape her and Willy cuts his throat with a machete. Now its on, there's a hit on Willy's head, and he now has to try and get as far away as fast as he can. The rest of the film is spent following him and Sayra as they try to escape. She is following him because she owes him, he doesn't want to ruin her life too and keeps pushing her away.
The film is violent, although from the description I'm sure that was something you could figure out. Along with the brutal violence though there is delicateness to it. Alongside beautiful landscapes there is this brutal crime and violence that beats everyone around into submission. It seems to be both a love letter to the goodness of the people as well as a drastic reflection of the worst qualities we are humans all possess.
Watching people risk life and limb just to get into our country really puts things in perspective, as much as we have our problems in America we really can try and do anything we want, where in other parts of the world, particularly third world you have limited options, most ending in a short life.
The cinematography is gorgeous, but I have come to expect little else from South American movies, they seem to fully embrace the surroundings of the movie and make it important, such as in "City of God" or "XXY" Although the story might be about something else entirely there is still plenty of attention paid to the world around the story, the beauty of it, as well as the ugliness of it. Watching the gang work and spread like a virus was intriguing, since the gang that they are part of spans countries and even continents it leaves Willy few places to hide.
The acting was spot on, there is a quietness to most of the characters, to keep your head down, but alert, and you might get through this. Don't be a problem, don't make anything an issue and you will be okay, as soon as you fight back you give them the reason to do whatever they want to you. When seeing a member of their rival gang shot, its hard enough, he's begging for his life, he has children. But then the next shot is the dogs they own eating some raw meat, you know exactly what they did with his body.
Overall it was a good film, it was strong in many ways, but lacked a certain spark that will get it the sort of recognition as a movie like "City of God" got. Watching Lil Mago who is covered head to toe in tattoos hold his baby girl in his arms, while at the same time talking about killing people, you see a face of Central America, a certain touch that can be both kind and loving and in the next moment be brutal and ending. 8/10 stars.
Director: Cary Fukunaga
Starring: Edgar Flores, Paulina Gaitan, Kristian Ferrer, Diana Garcia, Tenoch Huerta
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