Pedro Nuestro: Of Human Quests review

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Bikas Mishra reviews Christopher Zalla's Sundance Grand Jury Prize Winner Pedro Nuestro (2007)

Padre Nuestro is set in the New York city sans Manhattan skyline. The city that it depicts epitomizes deprivation, loneliness and lack of trust. It is a film firmly rooted in the lanes, corners and sides of the city, apt for a story of the people who lose their lives, hard earned money, faith in human relationships and a sense of belonging.

Pedro (Jorge Adrián Espíndola) a young Mexican boy befriend Juan (Armando Hernández) on his way to New York. Both of them have illegally crossed the border for their own reasons. Pedro to meet his father Diego (Jesús Ochoa) who left Mexico before his birth. He's carrying a letter written by his dead mother to introduce himself. Pedro's mother had told him that his father owns a French restaurant in the city. The two young boys get closer in their cross border trailer journey and when it comes to an end in Brooklyn, Pedro realizes that he's lost all his belongings and the letter.

In a strange city, where nobody understands his language Pedro finds himself entirely at the mercy of Magda (Paola Mendoza), a street girl, who tries to take advantage of his vulnerability.

Madga charges money for every bit of help she extends to the poor fellow, who only remembers the name of his father and an incomplete address. Nevertheless, he is determined to find his father and doesn't mind working hard or performing sex with Magda for elderly clients to earn a few dollars to repay her.

And as you would have rightly guessed till now, Juan, who ran away with Pedro's introduction letter, lands up at the dingy apartment of Diego with the hope of finding a rich father in him. But a son is the last thing that poor, bitter dishwasher wants. Yes, far from owning a restaurant Diego earns a living by washing dishes and making artificial roses. But he isn't as poor as he lives like. He has saved quite a lot of money secretly stacked inside him apartment.

If you think I've given the movie away by revealing the plot of the thriller, you can't be more wrong. Juan while pursues his treasure hunt inside Diego's house after winning his trust, Pedro rummages around almost entire New York city in search of his father. And watch out for what happens when their searches come to an end!

Christopher Zalla, the debutant director who won the grand jury prize at Sundance last year for this film packs the film with immaculate drama of relationship. The city that he portrays is scary, it is a place where people don't trust each other, nobody helps anybody yet nobody wants to go back to where they belong.

Kenya born director, who is a trained filmmaker turns out to be a master of telling the story of the irony of human relations, truth, bitterness and reconciliation. Where he falters is the detailing of physical circumstances, for example: Pedro actually finds his father with the help of street number and yellow pages in the maze of the city! And the boys had to only jump across a fence toland up in the US territory!

If you tend to knit-pick while watching a film, you can come up with a long list. But if you look for an gripping drama of human fate and irony inherent in it, Pedro Nuestro could surprise and satisfy you at the same time.

[rating:4]

Watch Padre Nuestro Trailer:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PEq4a3PvnU[/youtube]