This movie started off in a very weird way. However, throughout the whole movie you realize that this really is how raising a latino kid can be sometimes. (Not all the time). It also shows the evolution of maturity of a young man growing up in New York. He takes it upon himself to change his ways even though it took many situations to actually get him to change. And as for Judy, at the end she begins to reevaluate herself to see if she even likes Victor and what is she really looking for. Did she like Victor or need him? Overall, I think this movie is pretty good. Also, has many humorous moments some might enjoy.

Victor is a brash teen who sees himself as a player. His younger sister Vicki catches him with neighbor Fat Donna and tells everyone. At the pool with best friend Harold, he tries to talk up Judy but she won't have any part of him. She's there with best friend Melonie and brother Carlos. Victor promises Carlos to set him up with Vicki for an intro to Judy. Victor lives with Vicki, brother Nino, and his grandmother.Victor is such an annoying self-obsessive lip-licking caricature male teen that it's nearly impossible to root for him. He is aggressively trying to throw the audience by being a jerk. It makes it an unappealing watch for most of the first half. It does have an authenticity about the young characters. It would be easier to make it darker rather than being a light romantic comedy. It could have also been better to make Judy the protagonist rather than Victor. Carlos and Vicki are funny secondary relationship.

RAISING VICTOR VARGAS – 9.3/10 Director: Peter Sollett Writer: Peter Sollett With an unknown cast and coming from a debut director, the film turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. Raising Victor Vargas is a 'coming of age' film, if one might call it that, but in every sense of the word, extremely mature. With no special effects or dazzling visuals, Raising Victor Vargas is a must watch for sakes of storytelling and scriptwriting.The film revolves around the story of a youngster Victor Vargas, a Dominican teenager, played exceptionally well by Victor Rasuk. Victor, who is out to regain his image after word of his affair with a 'fat' girl leaks to the neighborhood. To rise to his old glory, he must win over the pretty Judy Marte ('Juicy' Judy Gonzalez). For most parts, the story is just that. While detailing it any further would lead to spoilers, watch out for the most interesting aspects of the film, which in this case are precisely those parts which seem least relevant.The film manages to charm, delight and appease with the smallest of details, ones that are almost always overlooked in films seeking to be larger than life. It is as though the writer/director has understood the simplest secret of storytelling. He deals with nuances of the youth, the teenagers and their daily lives in a very refined and mature manner. Not succumbing to obvious temptations of problems facing the youth, the director dodges all the clichés, from drugs to violence, from rape to vengeance.There isn't really much to say about the film. It is shot in a few locations, with limited characters and resources. Yet the performances are fantastic, the script is simple and funny, the acting is outstanding. The film flows from one scene to the next and very soon without actually realizing it, we are living the lives of the characters, laughing and smiling with them, cheering and hooting for them. Sadly, we haven't seen a lot from Sollett since 2002; hope he makes an appearance soon.

Not too dramatic, but still lively and entertaining. Realistic and human. Warm, good movie. I thought the characters were touchable. I especially liked the little brother's character. His younger sister was a lively depiction of everything we hate about little sisters. The grandmother's character was very believable, well played and dynamic. I felt myself feeling hopeful for the family when they were attempting "the new beginning". This movie was a mature, big step away from the stereotypical movies created featuring Hispanic people. It was also more intimate and more believable. I enjoyed it more than what I expected to. A nice movie.