DVD Review: Trade

MaryZFeb 1st, 2008 - 20:21:38

TRADE is a very hard but enormously worthy film. NOT worthy but dull, but worthy because you don't come out emotionally unscathed. I hear it has won some film awards abroad. I liked it because it WASN't a documentary, which meant you had to get caught up in the characters and their dilemmas. All of the actors were terrific--the Latino kids, the 'bodyguards,' and of course Kevin Kline, who never turns in a bad performance. It was honorable of him to lend his name to this tale because more people will go look at it--the side of life we turn away from, the 1M children sold into slavery, the darkness, the pain. The other thing I admired was the way the film played off of 'trade' -- trafficking, money, handing off the children, and especially TRADE-OFFs--you make these kinds of promise, you get this back--you do this kind of job, there is something coming back. The visual images reflected this as well--the young girl putting her blood on Manelo's hand--amazing metaphor. And finally, there was the thriller level of the plot, which kept me saying 'oh, my god,' often and with surprise.

Be ready for something very tough to watch but a film event that will change your life.

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