Floyydd Turrbbo Indian, Latin and Italian directors make the best movies since they have compassion and empathy for the human kind as opposed to the human rats in the emergency rooms, who rather see the woman dead than another illegal but productive immigrant, without whom the economy will collapse (they treat the Green Card rather than a human being and they are agents of the immigration than graduates of medical school-the scumbags of modern day medicine. The doctor is shown as more caring, but both the nurse and the doctor were merciless lowlifes that should be doing autopsy on dead bodies). These scums have no ethics or compassion, and they are worse than the rats in the sewer line. As the sister Rosita says in "Gauntemala you get killed, in Mexico it is poverty and in America you are not free." Gregory Nava, who made one of the most poignant movies like "Selena" is better director than this over-hyped Spielberg and this movie should have won awards. The movie shows depths of despair and the great escape to freedom, only to realize that the roads in the land of liberty, are not paved with gold, in fact there are no roads but the poor immigrants have to build the roads, if they ever make it beyond the "coyotes" and the paranoid and homicidal border agents.

Rachel Henderson This is probably one of the best films made yet about illegal immigration from Latin America because it tells of the hardships experienced at home, on the journey, and of life in America as illegal residents. Rosa and Enrique are Mayan peasants who are orphaned in the beginning of the movie by soldiers. They flee Guatemala for "El Norte," the place where their dreams can finally be realized, where wealth comes easily, and where they can leave their life of poverty. Unfortunately, however, it is apparent that their destiny is sealed from the beginning of the movie: they were dead the moment they were first targeted by the soldiers in their country. From that moment on, it seems as though death is trying to find and take them. In a gruesome scene, Enrique and Rosa cross the boarder through a rat-infested sewer where Rosa is attacked in what ultimately is fatal. Once in the United States, they live their lives so as to go undetected by society and live just to "get by." The real tragedy lies in the fact that after a life threatening journey across the boarder, Rosa and Enrique still do not escape living in constant fear. Rosa brings up the tragic idea that they have no place they can call home, and that there will likely never be a moment where they can live in complete and total peace of mind and being. This movie challenges everyone's ideas on illegal immigrants--both those in favor and against. For both parties, the movie brings to light that there is urgent need for reform in immigration that will correct the injustices that millions of people experience each year. The movie shows that neither kicking them out nor allowing them here solves the problem. There are no solutions promoted or suggested by the movie, but rather demands a response from the audience to seek and find a solution.

kass_jara El Norte is a great movie that reminds me a lot about Rodolfo Acuna and Eduardo Galeanos work. They would write about the struggles people have to face coming to America and how they would get exploited, having to work hard jobs for very little pay just to get by because they are hoping for the "American Dream." These men write history book about these stories everyday lives of immigrants trying to come to America. And this movie depicts it perfectly; the audience gets to see firsthand how it is for people from another country to come here knowing nothing and owning nothing then what they have on their back. You see and feel for these siblings as they have to leave there home because they are not wanted there to a new world trying to fit in. They try to assimilate and in order to make it America but they can't because everyone else is just waiting to see them fail. This is was Acuna and Galeano right about in their books it is just like this wonderful movie El Norte.

bw92116 This is a milestone and arguably the best film made during the 1980s. Ranks right alongside the great social-realism films "Ladri di biciclette," "The Grapes of Wrath," and "Salt of the Earth." Relevant when it was released and now even more relevant 25 years after its initial release. Top-notch script, photography, editing, and superb acting. But the story and issues are the most important aspects. It's now available on a Criterion DVD with 2 discs, one with the film and one with extras including a "making-of" program and a printed booklet. What are you doing spending any more time reading this. Go get this film and watch it today. This is a landmark achievement.