If the purpose of a film is to simply elicit an emotional response from the audience, Los Bastardos succeeds in spectacular fashion. Ultra- realistic and unflinching, it tells the story of two illegal immigrant brothers and their struggle to make enough money to support ailing family back in Mexico when they are hired to kill a single suburban mother. The long takes, no soundtrack, and use of non-actors create the feeling one might get from watching a documentary. The pace is achingly slow, with very little dialogue and minimal plot. Yet, the sense of dread and uneasiness reach a level very few films are able to achieve. Watching this film is about as enjoyable as getting dental work done, but the emotional impact one is left with after the credits roll is undeniable. It will stick with you and maybe even haunt you for a considerable amount of time after. For the patient viewer not expecting your typical Hollywood blockbuster or rom-com, Los Bastardos is a very unique, devastating, and powerful film. I highly recommend this film be watched, but with an open mind as it is unconventional.

I get why a lot of people don't like this film. I get why lots think its a bad script. I think its difficult in the same way Dryer is difficult, or Bresson or Dumont. Its slow, but its not elegiac, or full of "beauty".....nor is it sociological in its depiction of crime and exploitation. Its simply a dark dark existential sort of nightmare. It contains a social critique to be sure, but thats not the focus. Escalante is a director to keep an eye on. This a disturbing and singular film. Its also a film that will haunt you.....probably even if you didn't think it as good as I thought it was. Its a film experience you wont forget. I saw it in norway, at a festival and at 11pm. People left the theatre in shocked silence.

Perhaps Arizona Governor Jan Brewer watched Los Bastardos before she started spouting off about illegal immigrants beheading good red-blooded Americans whilst corrupting children with pinatas full of wacky tobacky and nose candy. That's one explanation. The other is that she read the poll numbers and knew she needed a big burst of xenophobia if she wanted to keep her job. Whichever may be the case, Los Bastardos is a serious, provocative, and deliberately paced drama about L.A. day laborers Fausto and Jesus (Ruben Sosa and Jesus Moises Rodriguez), and their unfortunate decision to get involved with a suburban crackhead. It's only a movie, Jan…only a movie.

Brief summary: Two Mexican immigrants do odd jobs for random sleazy Americans, and usually hang around with their fellow Mexicans at a drop-off spot waiting for something new to pop up. It can be anything from construction-working and strawberry-picking to muscle-for-hire goons, just as long as there's enough money in it for them. Meanwhile, an American mother has trouble communicating with her lackadaisical teenage son, and fails to draw his attention in every way. The boy doesn't treat her very well, and leaves the house without even saying goodbye. On that same evening, the four lives will be forever changed, which is the story that this movie tells.The film is beautifully shot, and also has a fantastic soundtrack (very raw, hardcore music), which goes along perfectly to the style and theme of the plot of the movie. The two leading Mexican actors have apparently never done any movies before this one, but still manage to come across perfectly as these everyday-Mexicans, just trying to get by in a hard world, even if it may require doing things they don't appreciate very much.Anyway, this movie moves along very slowly, until it abruptly comes to a halt at the ending, which will probably shock most audiences, and may turn off a few people as well. Still, I found it to be a very unique and moving picture, which I would definitely recommend to those that are looking for something untraditional and out of the ordinary.9/10 - a slow but effective action/drama/thriller, that will haunt the audience for a long time afterward.