Johnny 100 Pesos

This 1994 film is based on a true story and directed by Gustavo Graef-Marino. Johnny, a young Chilean student, becomes involved with a group of criminals who decide to rob a clandestine money exchange office that fronts as a video store in an apartment building in Santiago. They pretend that they are customers and suddenly whip out guns and demand the money. The police are alerted and they decide to take the employees as hostages. The whole ordeal spirals out of control when the media gets involved and what was supposed to be a minor crime becomes the center of attention while all of Chile watches it unfold on their TV screens.

There is a real critique of the media and the role that they play in situations like this. The TV reporter is very persistent and will stop at nothing to get a story that will capture the interest of the viewers. He goes to interview people from Johnny's life and ends up pushing them past their breaking point just for ratings.

Overall this movie is a bit strange at times, but it is definitely dramatic and contains an unexpected ending.