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SIN NOMBREMovie Reviews
Spanish-language dramatic thriller about Central American immigrants seeking the promise of life in the U.S., based on the filmmaker's firsthand experiences. Cast:Paulina Gaitan, Edgar Flores, Kristyan Ferrer, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Diana GarciaDirector:Cary Joji FukunagaRelease Date:March 20, 2009DVD Release:September 1, 2009From:Focus FeaturesRating:RLength:1 hr. 36 min.
Sin Nombre played in key cities to sensational reviews. • Dan Zak wrote in the Washington Post, "...pure filmmaking... a polished yet authentic mini-masterpiece..." • And Steven Rea wrote in the Philadelphia Inquirer, "...almost ruthless in its depiction of the brutality and degradation confronting the hidden hordes that cross rivers and hop trains trying to get to the United States." More Reviews Below...
Sin Nombre Positive Reviews (33 Reviews, reviews below)
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: GOOD(cg) "Whenever 'Sin Nombre' turns violent, it seizes you with its convulsive skill, but the film's images vastly outstrip its imagination."(See all of Owen Gleiberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 105 words, 03/20/09
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...at once subtle and intense, familiar but refreshing, intimate even as it tells a story untold numbers have endured.... a new angle on a story of sacrifice and peril..."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 503 words, 03/19/09
Claudia Puig, USA Today: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a powerful, wrenching thriller... astonishing, given its sharp script, technical proficiency and suspenseful pacing. The ensemble cast is top-notch."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 355 words, 03/20/09
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (11 Reviews)
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: EXCELLENT "What keeps the movie from tipping into full-blown exploitation like 'City of God,' which turns third-world misery into art-house thrills, is Mr. Fukunaga's sincerity."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 815 words, 03/20/09
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a devastating film... It contains risk, violence, a little romance, even fleeting moments of humor, but most of all, it sees what danger and heartbreak are involved."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 797 words, 04/02/09
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "...an evocative and impressive first feature from writer-director Cary Joji Fukunaga... There is bitter and breathtaking truth in the story and in the story-telling..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 588 words, 03/20/09
Lou Lumenick, New York Post: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...one of the most exciting directorial debuts in years.... has a strong screenplay with well-drawn characters and situations that consistently confound expectations."(See all of Lou Lumenick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 353 words, 03/20/09
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "If Fukunaga can shake the hokum from his system, he may well develop a distinctive storytelling voice to go with the technical facility."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 562 words, 04/03/09
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: VERY GOOD(cg) "By turns violent and sweetly romantic... rises above its usually somber genre - the realistic immigrant movie - by creating a narrative that pulses with youthful urgency."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 245 words, 04/03/09
Jennie Punter, Toronto Globe & Mail: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...thrilling and beautifully crafted... winner of top directing and cinematography awards at Sundance... it's the gangster's story that lingers..."(See all of Jennie Punter's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 614 words, 04/03/09
Scott Foundas, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "Lushly photographed and meticulously sound-designed... [but] visceral without being vital, researched without ever seeming lived-in."(See all of Scott Foundas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 248 words, 03/18/09
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "...collapses in the second half, hobbled by clumsy, diagrammatic plotting and two key sequences so badly edited that characters literally disappear from the action."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 171 words, 04/02/09
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a difficult, shattering work -- raw and realistic in most ways, soapy and romantic in others. The rawness and realism far outweigh the sentimentality..."(See all of Amy Biancolli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 544 words, 04/10/09
Kerry Lengel, Arizona Republic: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...the world of the film is so thickly detailed, its performances so human and compelling, that a few small flaws are easily overlooked."(See all of Kerry Lengel's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 501 words, 04/17/09
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD(cg) "There are some brief minutes when the tension drops and the story starts to sag, but Fukunaga almost always fills the frame with something worth seeing..."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 522 words, 03/20/09
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...almost ruthless in its depiction of the brutality and degradation confronting the hidden hordes that cross rivers and hop trains trying to get to the United States."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 354 words, 04/10/09
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a chase film, love story, road picture, gangland turf-war flick, and border-bound suspense thriller, most of which is oddly apolitical and strangely devoid of a point."(See all of Wesley Morris's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 665 words, 04/03/09
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a stunning feature debut for director Cary Fukunaga. The story borrows from road movies and crime thrillers, but the scenes and situations vibrate with authenticity."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 339 words, 04/17/09
John Hartl, Seattle Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...deservedly made a splash at this year's Sundance Film Festival, earning prizes for Adriano Goldman's fluid widescreen cinematography and Fukunaga's sharp direction."(See all of John Hartl's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 469 words, 04/10/09
Marc Mohan, Portland Oregonian: EXCELLENT(cg) "...like the similarly styled 'City of God,' the cinematic gloss serves to heighten our involvement in the tale, and to mark Fukunaga as a talent to be reckoned with."(See all of Marc Mohan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 180 words, 04/10/09
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...richly detailed... first-time writer and director Cary Fukunaga has achieved a seeming realism reminiscent of 'City of God' or the recent 'Gomorrah.' "(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 334 words, 04/17/09
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: EXCELLENT(cg) "...extraordinary... This is 'Slumdog Millionaire' without the romanticized poverty, the game show, the music, the lyrical 'message' about fate and love."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 449 words, 05/15/09
Carla Meyer, Sacramento Bee: VERY GOOD(cg) "...offers a treacherous frontier, a conflicted outlaw and fine performances by actors with whom the camera clearly is besotted.... always engages visually..."(See all of Carla Meyer's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 487 words, 04/17/09
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...vivid and haunting.... as compassionate as it is beautifully wrought. It reminds us that there is something universal in the suspicious treatment that immigrants receive."(See all of Lisa Kennedy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 589 words, 04/10/09
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (4 Reviews)
Scott Foundas, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "Lushly photographed and meticulously sound-designed... [but] visceral without being vital, researched without ever seeming lived-in."(See all of Scott Foundas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 248 words, 03/18/09
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: MODERATE(cg) "Fukunaga's intentions may be honorable, but films like Sin nombre exploit their subjects as much as they empathize with them."(See all of Peter Keough's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 149 words, 04/02/09
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "...collapses in the second half, hobbled by clumsy, diagrammatic plotting and two key sequences so badly edited that characters literally disappear from the action."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 171 words, 04/02/09
HIGHBROW PRESS (4 Reviews)
Bob Mondello, NPR All Things Considered: OUTSTANDING "...almost never feels workshopped or overly planned.... The images -- whether urgent and urban or sunset-strewn and caught from a moving train -- are haunting."(See all of Bob Mondello's reviews...)(Listen to the full review...) 163 seconds, 03/20/09
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: EXCELLENT "What keeps the movie from tipping into full-blown exploitation like 'City of God,' which turns third-world misery into art-house thrills, is Mr. Fukunaga's sincerity."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 815 words, 03/20/09
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "...an evocative and impressive first feature from writer-director Cary Joji Fukunaga... There is bitter and breathtaking truth in the story and in the story-telling..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 588 words, 03/20/09
MOVIE INDUSTRY (5 Reviews)
Todd McCarthy, Daily Variety: OUTSTANDING "...enthralling... takes viewers into a shadow world inhabited by many but noticed by very few... the film's widescreen images are exceptionally vibrant."(See all of Todd McCarthy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 931 words, 01/20/09
Justin Lowe, Hollywood Reporter: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...when the film departs from the specifics of its unique world in favor of more conventional genre execution, it leaves the characters and audience adrift."(See all of Justin Lowe's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 549 words, 01/28/09
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "...an evocative and impressive first feature from writer-director Cary Joji Fukunaga... There is bitter and breathtaking truth in the story and in the story-telling..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 588 words, 03/20/09
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: EXCELLENT "What keeps the movie from tipping into full-blown exploitation like 'City of God,' which turns third-world misery into art-house thrills, is Mr. Fukunaga's sincerity."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 815 words, 03/20/09
18.7 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Sin Nombre's reviews are separated by an average 18.7 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Sin Nombre (33 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Sin Nombre's reviews cover 47.3% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 14,520 words involume (average is 20,172 words). Length:The film's reviews average 440 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Sin Nombre Coverage, Volume & Length (33 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 5 Days After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Sin Nombre's reviews on average broke 5 days after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Sin Nombre's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Sin Nombre (33 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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