WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Roads less traveled. They say wide is the path that leads to destruction while narrow is the road that leads to life. As we do our best to navigate this world and the sometimes tedious but ideally fulfilling journeys it presents, the choices made will still become what determine the ultimate outcome and who we become, the only question being will it be for better or worse. Spanish immigrant Vincent “Tony” Medina (Hugo Diego Garcia), finds 1980’s France as the backdrop for a tumultuous existence filled with an unforgiving father Francisco (Michel Vivacqua) vs. a crew of misfit immigrant outcasts–Gomi (Pietro Mercieca), Domingo (Lorenzo Bentivoglio), Cubano (Wilfried Capet), Andres (Vincent Fabiani), and Miguel (Malo Garcia)–who are closer to a family than anything else he has. But even as Tony strives to better himself, the ominous, dark shadow of rebellion and criminality threatens to engulf all he desires to achieve.
Next, my Mind:
Delivering intense drama with underlying tones reminiscent of “Scarface” while maintaining a beautifully designed, stylishly executed ode to the 80’s decade its narrative resides within, this 35-minutes indie short film from writer/director/producer/actor Hugo Diego Garcia packs a potent punch in telling the story of one young immigrant’s fight to find relevance and purpose in the midst of peer pressure, familiar disharmony, and an uncertain future being involved with a group of local immigrant street toughs. It speaks to the sheer impetuousness of youth and that desire to be acknowledged, doing so in a manner that also becomes a highly cautionary tale of events spiraling out of control and emotional volatility driving one’s choices more often than logical thinking.
It’s the rawness of it as it’s depicted that gives this film its blunt force impact for the viewer, as we finds ourselves transported into Tony’s circle of violence and ethnic outsider struggles while seeing within the character a sometimes veiled moral compass that’s desperately attempting to grab a hold of his attitudes and actions. The bonds of loyalty, brotherhood, and trust are deeply explored as well, even despite the overt levels of vice that these men find themselves immersed in for the sake of personal and even cultural preservation and identity. Additionally, it also addresses the fact that within all of us might lie the absolute intent to be greater than our circumstances, to overcome those obstacles, and not allow malice and surrounding discord to upend our own striving for well-earned, legitimate success.
However, the best laid plans can still be interrupted by that ongoing need to be accepted, even for the sake of maintaining appearances, and the cost of this can be higher than we might ever realize, negatively affecting others, even some we may have once been tied to. This is all illustrated throughout the film and it makes for well-crafted character development and investment in them without it feeling cliché or forced. Of course, as hinted above, there are the unrelenting and sobering realities that can come from trying to stand for what you believe while then acting out in opposite ways to those ideologies. Suddenly, honor and the notions of right and wrong get lost in a cloud of hate and anger that could end up spelling doom instead of redemption.
All of the above melds together into a affectingly cohesive narrative whose finale is delivered in a manner that is both jarring in its conjecture yet expected and heartbreaking. The film is wonderfully shot visually, with the straightforward, uncomplicated and totally plausible, realistic backdrops of the 80’s era on full display via clothes, hairstyles, and overall appearance. The real kicker for me, though, was the utilization of the totally 80’s synth-based music score by Malo Garcia, the film composer and electronic artist know as MALO, that ushered in a complete “Miami Vice” vibe for the film and it really worked! All I was missing was the pastel suits, the Miami setting, a Ferrari, and Crockett and Tubbs. Of course, the 80’s was this critic’s childhood as well, so I felt that very much added an additional level of enjoyment and engagement for me with this story.
Another ensemble cast makes it mark in spades here, starting with Garcia as Tony, a Spanish immigrant vying for his place in the world via riding the fence via both his desire for higher education and a solid life while likewise wanting to be “in” with the one group of people he considers true family. His choices seem so grounded in wanting what’s right, directed by a code of conduct he embraces, but how far this will get him remains to be seen. Garcia does such a superb job at embodying the dichotomy of lifestyles Tony is straddling, and is wholly believable as the character from beginning to end. He embraces the fervent passion Tony has for his goals, but also deftly reflects the vulnerability and even brokenness that Tony holds inside as well. It’s a beautiful performance.
Mercieca shines and makes his presence known as Gomi, a highly explosive individual who would rather hit first, hit some more, and then perhaps ask questions afterwards. Bentivoglio stands strong as Domingo, equally as tough as Gomi, but perhaps a little more in control, also always looking out for Tony in a deeply brotherly way. Capet, Fabiani, and Malo Garcia all present excellent performances as the other members of “the gang” whose passions for their own heritage and unwavering, steadfast support and watchful eye on Tony keep them loyal to the end. Vivacqua stands out in his brief but integral moments on screen as Tony’s irrefutably abusive father Francisco, showcased in an encounter that could have gone in so many different directions and was smartly played out here as intended to maximum impact.
Excellent additional turns are present from Beltrán Garcia as local crime boss Roberto, Abde Maziane as his right hand enforcer Moha, Enric Cusí & Alzira Gómez as Tony’s loving grandparents Jose and Dolores, Leïlani Lemmet as Tony’s mother Helene, Margaux Brunelle as Tony’s sister Elodie, Faycal Omrani as Tony’s boxing coach, David Zivkovic as Tony’s former schoolmate Aymeric, as well as appearances by Victor Nicolai, Christian Scelles, & Giovanni Vitello. In total, “Tony” is well beyond your standard crime story, more so as it chooses to deliver human characters, a relatable struggle for purpose and meaning in the middle of chaos, and a admonitory message that makes us think about exactly how our decisions and actions shape our very being, maybe causing us to pause, pondering who we truly want to be, and perhaps even initiating a change in course for the better.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
Beautiful article and great in depth analysis. Made me want to watch the film! Hope to find it online soon.
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