BACKYARD is a gritty Mexican thriller that explores the plight of young women in the city of Ciudad Juarez. It's a film in which the rape and murder of these innocent figures plays a large part and thus it's largely unpalatable viewing, and yet as the whole thing is based on fact it's also extremely shocking.
Having experienced a few of these Mexican movies like the similar HELI I'm afraid to say that I'm not really a fan of them. I appreciate that the stories need to be told but I would much rather watch a documentary than a fictionalised version. BACKYARD is a hodge podge of all too familiar themes involving the drug trade, the problems faced by the police force seeking to bring those responsible to justice, corruption, exploitation, and of course human trafficking.
The story is rather overlong and does feel unfocused in places. It's never exciting or suspenseful, just rather depressing. Old-timer Jimmy Smits plays a local businessman and is cast well against type, giving a solid performance, but the rest of the cast seemed to me to be playing rather tired and predictable roles.
Having experienced a few of these Mexican movies like the similar HELI I'm afraid to say that I'm not really a fan of them. I appreciate that the stories need to be told but I would much rather watch a documentary than a fictionalised version. BACKYARD is a hodge podge of all too familiar themes involving the drug trade, the problems faced by the police force seeking to bring those responsible to justice, corruption, exploitation, and of course human trafficking.
The story is rather overlong and does feel unfocused in places. It's never exciting or suspenseful, just rather depressing. Old-timer Jimmy Smits plays a local businessman and is cast well against type, giving a solid performance, but the rest of the cast seemed to me to be playing rather tired and predictable roles.