User reviews

Greetings again from the darkness. The mistreatment of kids is something that causes a physical reaction for me. It's not just the intellectual and emotional effects - my entire body reacts by shifting into some mode that's a cross between aggression, sickness, and denial. No matter how much we wish child trafficking wasn't occurring, we know that it is ... and reminders are crucial in keeping the awareness and discussions (and kids) alive. That's the role of the first feature film from writer-director Mohit Ramchandani.

Jesus (Ari Lopez) is a young boy in Mexico dreaming of a future as a star soccer player. His mother died giving birth to him, and his father seizes the chance to let his son pursue his dreams in the "new world" by attending a soccer camp. Everything has been arranged by a shady, Mustang driving character who most of us would never trust. However, Jesus's father is desperate for his son to have an opportunity for a better life.

A non-verbal Jesus is excited right up until he's frightened. He's dumped at a ragged house and led to the room lined with others of all ages who are slumped over sewing machines. This sweat shop is run by El Jefe (Alfredo Castro) and his foreman Cesar (Andres Delgado). To ensure we don't miss the "sweat" shop label, the actors are often coated in absurdly giant beads of fake sweat. It's the closest to comedy we get.

What occurs in the dark, dank world of sweat shops and child slave labor is portrayed here as indescribable misery. We see the long and unbearable working conditions of the kids, along with the harsh punishments that occur if one steps out of line. Elena (Renata Vaca) flirts with Jesus as teenagers do ... until she's whisked away and sold into child sex slavery. The only ray of hope we as viewers see is Officer Stevens (Jason Patric, an actor I erroneously predicted stardom for after watching THE LOST BOYS in 1987), a renegade local cop who senses criminal activity in the home, despite his superiors continually telling him to back off.

Inspired by a true story (actually too many similar stories), Ramchandani's film portrays the disgusting side of migrant child labor, child slavery, sex slavery, human trafficking ... whatever term you prefer. He tells us 12 million children have been victims of slavery. There are also a couple of other interesting factors: the bad guys aren't all Caucasian, greed is a driving force, and all involved (not just the kids) have dreams. El Jefe dreams of an acting career. We see Cesar studying his SAT prep book, and Jesus juggles visions of glory in soccer with nightmares of some evil tribal figure. The list of Executive Producers includes Tony Robbins, Linda Perry, and Thomas Jane. The brutal loss of childhood innocence is difficult to watch and concludes with a plea for action from young actor Ari Lopez.

In theaters August 30, 2024.

Veteran producer Mohit Ramchandani's "City of Dreams" aspires to be a powerful catalyst for change in the battle against child trafficking. While the narrative may feel familiar, reminiscent of a recent film about a Mexican child aspiring to stardom in the USA, this story centers on one boy's extraordinary journey of resilience and hope.

Based on true events, "City of Dreams" tells the story of Jesús, a young boy from Mexico whose ambition to become a soccer star is abruptly derailed when he is trafficked across the border and forced into a sweatshop producing fast fashion in downtown Los Angeles. Under the oppressive regime of El Jefe, Jesús finds comfort in the company of Elena, another victim of betrayal and enslavement. When Elena goes missing and a fellow worker suffers a brutal beating, Jesús understands that the only path to freedom for himself and his companions is to rise up, even at the risk of his own life. The film features a standout performance by newcomer Ari Lopez, alongside Golden Globe® Nominee Diego Calva (Babylon), Paulina Gaitán ("Narcos"), Jason Patric (The Lost Boys), and Renata Vaca (Saw X).

I sincerely hope that this film will inspire everyone who sees it to join the fight for the freedom of so many enslaved innocent kids!

If you find yourself at this film, you know what you've bargained for. This is a tough watch. Young motherless Mexican boy Jesus (Ari Lopez) has dreams of a soccer star life. But of course he's mired in the worst poverty imaginable. He gets a dubious chance to attend an LA soccer camp, which Dad eagerly signs off on. Before you know it, he's sold off into a windowless sweatshop sewing for his life. The going rate for kids is $10K and up. A potential girlfriend is sold off into child sex slavery. Another kid arrives with the soccer camp pamphlet and Jesus loses it. Of course some sort of escape is in the works. We then meet Officer Stevens (Jason Patric). He strays from the LAPD MO and gets his just desserts. But a happy ending is coming, or at least as happy as one can expect under the circumstances. Patric is the biggest name in the film. He's had a decent enough career, but nothing notable in over thirty years. This film does have flashy producers: Tony Robbins, Luis Fonsi, Yalitza Aparicio, Linda Perry, Luis Mandoki, Enrique Santos, Thomas Jane and more. The director's father served in a sweatshop, so he has skin in the game.

This is a labor of love to focus attention on the issues of child labor and sex trafficking, kidnapping, etc. The last third of the film really picks up the pace and is riveting to watch. Patric is the white savior who makes everything marginally better. We assume that Jesus is better because of the epilogue, which I will not spoil. This is not a great film, but not a bad one either.

I mean I was in tears by the end of the movie. I haven't cried that hard in a long time. I can't believe that this is happening in LA and all over the world. To be honest it's an issue that I never have paid much attention to and after watching this film that has changed. I think that is the point of this movie is to make people more aware of this problem. An effort needs to be made in order to figure out the solution. Besides from the powerful message the film is beautifully shot and the acting is phenomenal. I appreciate these filmmakers and their effort to document and bring awareness to this subject.

This is a film that inspires you. We watch as Jesus fights for his freedom. It's a Heroic thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat and engaged the whole time. The filmmaking is beautiful and the performances are great. This film will make you feel something in your heart and inform you on labor trafficking in the U. S. I was unaware how serious of an issue labor trafficking is, until I watched this film. Some people might have a difficult time with the subject matter of the film, but that is no excuse not to watch this film because the people who are being trafficked have no choice.

Don't watch this, it is a horrible movie. The funniest side of this is that there are a hundred reviews giving 10/10. They must've been written by the filmmakers. What a shame.

If you want to convey a message, and this is a good one, why do it with poor acting, poor narrative, poor camera work, poor everything? Or the thing is to make money exploiting the feelings of the viewers?

There are many good books and documentaries out there about the issue, if you are really interested in it. Made by actual professionals with no traces of fanatism of any kind. Professionals the makers of this film seem to have ignored.

I'm lucky to have grown up with a certain ignorance.. liked most people in the world we are not enough aware of the suffering of others. Safe from the horrors that other people endure i can buy my clothing at the cheapest price. But it's not that I'm truly unaware - it's what we Dutch call 'far from my bed'.. these things are so far away from my day to day live that my subconscious chooses to ignore that horror.

Therefore i thank the makers of this movie, it was very impressive.

The storytelling was very good, camerawork did add to that. The acting of all the characters and dept off their roles were very well played out. It shows that there are only victims - all having their dreams crushed.

A movie the world needs to see.

After watching this film, all I wanted to do was bring Jesus back home with me and give him the life he deserves. Anyone that watches this movie will feel the same. The subject matter in the film is hard to watch, but you have to make yourself informed. I think that more than ever we have to come together and figure out a way to help these helpless kids. Imagine if a younger individual that you know in your life was subjected to trafficking. It would be life altering. Think about all of the parents around the world who have lost their kids to this industry. We need to support them as well. I would recommend everyone watch this film.

The film really surprised me with the love story between Jesus and Elena. Their connection feels super genuine, especially given the heavy theme of human trafficking. Even with everything going on around them, their relationship offers a light in the darkness.

What really stood out is how their bond develops through all the tough stuff they face. It's cool to see how they lean on each other during their struggles, creating these moments of joy that feel like a breath of fresh air. The chemistry between them is strong, and their time together really pulls you in. After watching the movie, I couldn't stop thinking about how love can shine through even the darkest times. It adds so much depth to the film and shows how powerful that connection can be in helping people get through tough situations.

I'm tempted to say that this film should win an Oscar. It is one of those films that will leave a lasting impact on you. I was I'll informed about trafficking in the U. S. When the film was over and the credits were rolling, my whole perspective changed. For the first time in my life I had to pay attention to child trafficking and stop being ignorant. This is one of those films that makes you think and realize how big this problem is.

Overall, it is a beautiful film that demonstrates the human ability to be resilient in the face of adversity at its worst. If you are looking for a place to watch this film, I watched it on Amazon the other day.

Ari Lopez played his role perfectly. I don't know how old he was when he played this role, but being so young and being able to show so much emotion without saying a word, is amazing.

He didn't say much in this movie, but the emotion he showed, was enough.

This movie is one of those movies that is incredibly hard to watch. I will dig deep into your soul and make you sad. Asad that some people have lives like this. It is sad that life is unfair to many people around the world.

Modern-day slavery exists and trafficking exists. The fact that this exists breaks my heart and will break your heart.

It's 100% a must-see movie!!! I'm happy they made this movie to raise awareness about this issue in this world.

Ari Lopez should definitely get roles in more movies, he is amazing.

Anyhow this movie is dark, this movie will break your heart and you will cry a lot. If you don't cry, then your heart will feel so heavy.

100% you have to see this movie!!!

The pacing of this film is spot on, keeping you engaged from start to finish. The story unfolds in a way that feels both compelling and coherent, never dragging or losing focus. The structure of the film is well-organized, with a clear progression that makes the unfolding events easy to follow. Overall, the pacing and structure work together to create a gripping narrative that maintains your attention throughout the entire film. There was not a moment in the film that I was distracted by anything else around me. Because of the proper filmmaking my attention was clean and I was never in a place where I was not focused on what was going on in front of me.

This movie continues to fight for the real issue of child slavery. A real issue that cannot fade into the background of our everyday lives. It is tastefully done while at the same time it doesn't minimize the seriousness of this topic. The actors are extremely well cast. The filmmakers have made a film about a topic that is not glamorous but needs to be heard. This is not a movie that will leave you feeling excited and happy. But that's not its point. But this absolutely is a must see film and more importantly, a film that deserves and needs to have its message heard long after leaving the theatre.

I've been thinking quite a bit about his film. It was so powerful that it has been lingering with me even though I watched the film a week ago. I was so touched by Ari Lopez's performance and was impressed with his ability to tap into some mature emotions. Overall I would say that City of Dreams is a must see. Director Mohit Ramchandani shows us a world that is foreign to many. We do not hear Jesus speak until the end of the film. This is a really interesting creative choice on the directors part and I think it was a great idea. At the end we hear Jesus scream for the first time and we know that at that moment he is taking a stand. I felt like it also represented the lack of voice that people who are sold into trafficking have.

The director did a good job creating moments where the audience could breathe. Spoiler alerts coming so heads up. This is a intense thriller that follows a young boy Jesus as he tries to escape from a sweatshop in downtown LA. It's violent and scary, but the truth isn't always rainbows. I'm sure if you have read some of the other reviews it talks about this films intensity, but there are also some beautiful moments. The relationship between Ari Lopez and Renata Vaca really show the power of support from another human being. I'm glad that this was incorporated into the film. Overall it was a good watch.

There is so much I have to say about this film, but one of the things that stands out to me the most is the look of the film. In the beginning we are surrounded by the beautiful landscape of Puebla Mexico. This dreamy setting quickly changes. The moment the smuggler picks up Jesus the environment changes. The smuggler's car is dirty and beaten down. Not to mention that this character is just an outright creep. The sweatshop is also gross. Boarded up so the workers can't escape and the lighting is so dim that you can't tell what time of day it is. The filmmaker's set design is accurate and I believe partially why I think the audience is so engaged in the film is because of the setting and lighting in the sweatshop.

The conditions depicted in the sweatshop are extremely hard to witness and left me feeling baffled. It's both shocking and disheartening to see the cramped, hazardous conditions that workers, especially CHILDREN, are subjected to. It's a stark reminder of how severe and inhumane these situations can be. The art department did an amazing job at creating such a realistic set that in itself is a character in the film. A majority of the film is shot in this sweatshop so I would imagine there was a massive emphasis on making the sweat shop as real as possible. If that part of the film was lacking then the story would have not been as powerful.

As a parent, this film was especially illuminating and unsettling. I can't help but appreciate the safety of my kids more than I have before. My heart goes out to all of the parents who have lost their kids to these terrible people. I know it's my responsibility as a parent to do anything I can to protect my kids and for the matter all kids. If you do research you can donate to organizations who try and prevent child trafficking from happening, but this film is another great resource that is at everyones disposal. People just might want to do something if they can see the truth unfold in front of their eyes.

The big screen amplified every detail, and the sound design surrounded the audience, making the tense moments even more intense. I found myself fully immersed in the story. A lot of films do not do that for me. I swear there are some scenes that are hard to watch, but with a story about this issue you have to in order to inform yourself. I feel like the big screen makes that happen. The crowd added to the atmosphere. Everyone was reacting in real-time to the twists and turns. It felt like the audience was in it together. There's something special about watching a film like this in a theater with a group of people.

It's very telling that the public's reviews of this movie are much more positive than the critics. Child trafficking is a multibillion dollar industry it makes me wonder who is pockets these Hollywood reviewers are in.

"City of Dreams" is a powerful movie with great acting, cinematography, and story telling. Yes it has violence which is something I usually shy away from and it's very triggering, but in this case the violence is justified as it reflects the reality these children go through. The viewers discomfort is a fraction of these child slaves reality.

It's a movie that should make us all rethink and question the moral gauge of our garment industry and the support human trafficking has on American soil. Something I was totally unaware of until watching this movie.

Conclusion: a beautiful and powerful movie with an important message! A refreshing take on film making for those of us who are sick of shallow action movies with no soul.