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Cast: Roger Gutierrez, Brian Eric Johnson, Christina Woods, Ruth Livier, ade Gordon, Rodger Hoopman
After more than two decades working on a cattle ranch, Jesse Torres, a first generation Mexican–American, leaves his country home for the bright lights of Los Angeles. Moving next door to his childhood friend, into a seedy Hollywood apartment, Jesse comes face to face with the harsh realities of drug addiction. Through his relationship with Lil' Bit, an embattled resident of the apartment complex, Jesse discovers that life's challenges must be met, not avoided.
Ranchero doesn't contain any explosions or fancy action scenes but it manages to be just as, if not more entertaining by having a well-writeen story that develops characters that are rich, realistic and ultimately believable. The film stars, Roger Gutierrez as Jesse who makes his first film appearance in 1988. I don't know why he took time away from acting but he brings a lot to his character in a subtle yet honest way. Danny Trejo also stars in the film as a pimp/drug dealer who "owns" Lil' Bit, Trejo has a limited role in the film but the character is important to the story and he is at his usual best in the scenes he's in. The rest of the leads including Christina Woods and Brian Eric Johnson also do a fine job in their roles. The film is a solid character-driven drama but it also packs some good suspense towards the end as well. Director, Richard Kaponas does a fantastic job at telling the story and at the same time keeping the it moving at a nice pace, I am impressed with his ability to tell a story, this is an impressive job considering it is debut behind the camera. If you're looking for a movie that is full of action I suggest you look elsewhere because Ranchero is not that film but if you like a good story with interesting and realistic characters, the kind you get attached to right from the start then this is definitely the film for you. Ranchero is getting set to have a run in theaters so keep an eye out for it in your area and for more information you can visit the official site HERE.
A film that does a great job doing what it sets out to do, Ranchero is a perfect example of how good Independent cinema can be. The production values are top-notch, from the wonderful camera work, lighting and right down to the music used which fit each and every scene perfectly, it really did a great job in setting all the different moods. If you like drama I suggest you keep your eyes peeled for this one, you will not be disappointed.
Released by Indican Pictures
**** Out Of *****