Matar a Jesús

Very well done Colombian thriller. Extremely well directed, acted and filmed, it uses amateur actors. The film is violent and is inspired in the defense of no violence, what is particularly amazing as the the director herself had her father murdered when she was 22. The two main characters are portrayed by a girl and a young man who have quite similar backgrounds of their roles, what is also very interesting. It is a thriller that makes espectator very anxious, as trying to kill Jesus is obviously not a good idea...

Working with non-professional actors was a brave choice but it shows unfortunately in this movie. As I understood it in the Q+A after the screening, the director Laura Mora Ortega wanted locals from Medellin because they speak the language (slang) more authentic than an actor. The part where the main character Paula snaps and messes up a bedroom and the office, reminded me a bit (only a tiiiny bit) of Tommy Wiseau in the infamous "The Room". Otherwise she did good for most of the time. The script had some issues too. Near the end there was a scene about a political celebration that felt a bit forced. The dialogues with the dealer (Gato I think was his name) were awkward. Although the camera work is from time to time extremely shaky, it is well done. Some shots of the movie where totally breathtaking when they ride around at night in a festive Medellin for example. In a few shots we see the sunlight reflect beautifully on Natasha Jaramillo's (Paula) hair which acts like a canvas. The tone of the film is gripping and it has a realistic feel to it. I have very mixed feelings as you can read here. I was disappointed right after the movie but the longer I think about it the better it gets, especially with an ending like that.

A simply made movie about frustration and inertia in a violent society. For me an all time top movie. Like a less fantastic, more personal City of God. To answer the other commenter who says that the father's death was unexplained, it was explained, if subtly. He was a politically vocal person and part of the point of the movie is that in the darker times 10-15+ years ago in Medellin there was no knowing, there was no justice. No Colombians nor many Latinos, for that matter, would have lost the meaning though people less familiar with Colombian history can't be expected to have the background.