Chop Shop

I wanted to like this more than I did. It looks amazing. The acting is very good. It had elements that reminded me of the television show City of Men and the movie Raising Victor Vargas, both of which I really like.

It takes place in the automotive wasteland of Willets Point in the shadow of Shea Stadium - a setting, which of course, I absolutely loved.

But there are just so many implausible plot developments that didn't feel right. They felt lazy and not organic to the way that things would have gone in real life. For example, if this kid was so damn street smart AND so protected by so many of the folks at Willets Point, why wouldn't anyone have helped him get his money back after getting ripped off buying a food truck from his friend's uncle - a man who worked with everyone else in the area. I don't want to get to into other plot development misfires here for the vast majority of the people I know who have not seen this movie but I think you get the point.

For a movie that is supposed to be gritty and real, these sorts of mistakes in the screenplay are bad ones. That being said, I'm happy I saw this film and I look forward to watching Bahrani's previous film Man Push Cart.

Directed by Ramin Bahrani
2008
Film Forum