Desertman84
American Visa is a Mexican film that stars Demian Bichir and Kate del Castillo.It is a story of a Bolivian man with dreams of reuniting with his son and starting a new life in the United States is forced to resort to questionable methods due to harsh laws designed to curb immigration.It was written and directed by Juan Carlos Valdivia.Mario is a retired English teacher from the Bolivian countryside. Leaving his career, his home, his town and his past, he sets out to follow his dream of seeing the United States. He hopes to become a part of the American dream.It place to him that provides an opportunity and stability, a place to escape from his old life and reunite with his now adult son.Mario arrives in La Paz in order to secure a travel visa for the US. Once there, he meets and befriends Blanca, an exotic dancer at the local strip club. The two share an immediate attraction despite their vastly different dreams and they quickly fall into a promising relationship. But Mario is a diligent man, and he is willing to revert to any measure possible to obtain that one thing which he wants most: a life in the United States.The film has a unique story line that presents a main character that is determined to go to the United States.Also,it provides romance between two completely different people - a dancer and a teacher.Finally,we get to see how Mario does extreme measures to achieve his goal.Although the movie has good performances from both Bichir and del Castillo,the movie falls short due to some contrivances and common plot lines that have been applied to many movies in the past.But overall,it does not fail to entertain and give delight to the viewer.
Fermin Treviño Adame
In this film of the Bolivian/Mexican Director Valdivia,he take us to La Paz Bolivia to tell us the story of the English teacher plays by Bichir and his problems to get the American Visa, issue very common even for Mexican despite of the $100 usd ,that we have top pay to process it The story tell us something very explored for Mexican movies ,draw more attention to see Kate del Castillo in her role of table dancer as a Mexican Demi Moore or the loving relationship that she and Bichir had in that time instead of the story for itself that simply shows the drama that Bichir lives and his despair that make him commit many stupid actions,and Kate's struggle to stop him without get it,Kate in her search to consolidate her film career offer something more than show her nice-looking body and get some good chemistry with Bichir and at the end ,the film just concludes that American people are as corrupt as the Mexican
alejandra
I liked this movie, I haven't seen many national films, but the ones I've seen haven't been very good or real. This one on the other hand, I believe, reflects very well reality. I've been there... asking for an American Visa and even though I only wanted to visit the country I did feel like they were treating me as a criminal, and I know many stories of people who are desperate for getting a Visa. The actors did a very good job, and I appreciate the effort they put into the accents even though they weren't perfect. It was a simple storyline, but sometimes that works in movies. The characters were very believable and it was easy to relate to them.
Mariana Cornejo
American Visa is a simple story, told in a simple way. But is well told. The director succeeds in his storytelling about a character in the middle of a life crisis unknown by him. A teacher wants to reach for a dream in the United States but the journey wouldn't be easy for such an idealist character. Luckily, there's an angel along the way: A table dancer, Blanca, well portrayed by Kate del Castillo although a little exaggerated in her accent. There isn't any surprises in the story, we all know where it is going, but there's a good sense of sincerity in it. The situations are well crafted and the Latin problems about that doubtful way of accreditations by the "U.S.landers" leaves you thinking and discussing once you leave the cinema. Technically well done, good sound and some beautiful landscapes from La Paz and many other places from Bolivia by the cinematographer. I only wished I had seen bolivian actors in the leading roles and not a couple imposed by the Mexican production.
AD
