Mojados - Through the Night (2005)

"Mojados." The English translation is "wetbacks," referring to workers from Mexico who illegally cross the border into the United States in order to earn money to send to their families back home. Their stories are, for the most part, little known and little regarded, but with Mojados - Through the Night, director-writer Tommy Davis sheds some unusually personal light on this shadowy world. Davis managed to persuade four young men--Guapo (Handsome), his brother Viejo (Old Man; he’s all of 26), Oso (Bear), and Tigre (Tiger)--to let him accompany them as they leave their homes, head north toward the Rio Grande, and then cross over into Texas. The trip is over a week long, with more than its share of hardships (enduring cold nights and sweltering days, drinking contaminated water and eating moldy bread, climbing barbed wire fences and sleeping on muddy ground), uncertainty, and fear of capture by the U.S. Border Patrol. And yet it’s relatively uneventful, or so it seems. There’s little drama here; the four men just doggedly move on, with no map, dwindling supplies, and a vague plan of finding another immigrant to stay with before scattering to Austin and elsewhere. They don’t all make it; but among those don’t, their almost matter-of-fact willingness to go through it all again is remarkable. Davis, who narrates in a kind of conspiratorial whisper, is sympathetic to the mojados (he also interviews a Texas rancher and a few Border Patrol officers); but in taking the personal approach, his hour-long film mostly avoids the highly flammable issue of illegal immigration. Bonus features include the director’s commentary track, and half an hour of extra footage. --Sam Graham Amazon.com

A Respectable Effort

Given that I once worked a menial job with the director, my review should probably be taken with a grain of salt. Putting that aside for a moment, I'd like to first express my excitement generated by a local kid making good in the film industry. I was certainly pleased to see that an aesthetically pleasing, full-length documentary was well within the capabilities of someone raised in the cultural wasteland that is the Rio Grande Valley.

As for the film itself...I saw it ages ago at a local screening, but I still recall my basic impressions of it. It was enjoyable enough, regardless of who made it. However, I remember feeling that certain scenes and dialogue felt a bit staged. I also thought it would have been better had the filmmaker included himself more directly in the proceedings. The "mojados" had a hard time crossing over, drinking filthy water, etc. But did Davis endure the same hardships? I find it hard to believe that he would, and maybe it doesn't matter either way. I just remember thinking something seemed a bit off. If the fuzz had intervened at any point, what would have happened to Mr. Davis? Perhaps I'm nitpicking. If he truly flew solo in this enterprise (which he must have if he was really joining these men on a covert journey), then he deserves more praise than I could ever bestow upon him. I wondered where he kept all the batteries, tapes, and food/beverage supplies to last him throughout the trip. Maybe some of this is discussed on the DVD...

Finally, I recall feeling that the news footage of the dead, anonymous mojados at the end of the film was a bit manipulative. Were we supposed to feel that these men could possibly have been among the dead? Were we supposed to feel that these unanswered deaths were proof that our country needs to aid Mexican citizens who are trying to enter the USA? Either way, I wasn't convinced. However, the cinematography was pretty good and some of the jokes told by the men were amusing. Davis is obviously a gifted guy with genuine concerns, and I hope his next film will better showcase his abilities. February 18, 2007

Opens your eyes to an uncertain and desperate path

This movie recounts step by step on what an immigrant does to cross the border and follows them through their journey day and night. The movie shows them as real as a Mexicans are. They had their frustrations of having to leave their families, food(enchiladas), and most importantly their comforts of their homes. I know that among the immigrants you will find a cousin or an uncle, because they are real people with real hearts and jokes too. They are uncertain of what lies beyond with only the desert as their companion and no sense of direction. All of this done with the simple idea of coming here to the U.S. for a short period of time to get a job to send money home and then leave back home. That is all so you really feel for these immigrants, because they come with good intentions but the journey is dangerous and uncertain, so you are praying that they will manage to finish. November 9, 2005

An Inside Look at a Little Known World

Growing up on the Texas border has given Davis a unique perspective from which to tell this story. He brings to the screen a true to life account with no frills, what you see is what you get.

The fact that these Mexican nationals trusted Davis enough to let him accompany them and document their journey is a testament to his commitment. It's not every day a young white guy with a camera asks to tag along on an illegal border crossing.

"Mojados" does a good job of not getting into the political or emotional debates so often associated with illegal imigration. It simply shows the reality of a common situation too often brushed off as some abstract, faceless, illegal act that gets a blurb on the nightly news.

Excellent first film, I look forward to seeing more from Davis. July 28, 2005

A humanizing portrait of a dehumanizing problem

Tommy Davis' first feature-length documentary casts light on a major problem in America today: illegal immigration. It is an economic problem, insofar as the US economy depends upon cheap illegal labor. It is a human rights issue, insofar as thousands die and more suffer every year entering the US in search of a better life. And it is a political problem, insofar as making the borders more, less, or equally porous is opposed by some faction or another.

That what unfolds on screen is illegal, genuinely dangerous, and previously unseen by anyone but those who have made the journey, gives the film the irresistible allure of transgression, risk, and voyeurism. Davis' hushed narration throughout the film conveys the mortal seriousness of the subject. And the music of Sin Panache fits each scene like a glove, giving voice to the emotions along the way.

The news clip toward the end is a masterful touch, highlighting how very common such events are. The impersonal newscast contrasts sharply with the very personal film, as if Davis is criticizing the cold manner in which the issue is normally depicted.

Davis' film is not propaganda, nor is it one-sided, as some xenophobes have claimed. It has won so many awards because it is a timely, heartfelt portrait showing the human face of a previously impersonal political issue. Davis should be commended for bravely highlighting an all too ignored issue - and all the more for doing it so well. May 13, 2005

Showing the root of the immigration issue

Some might believe that this film is pro immigrant. I'm not so sure I agree with that view. While I respect different opinions on the issue, I believe the director has created a film that is not propaganda or pro one side of the issue or another. Davis simply shows the migrants perspective of illegally immigrating to the United States; the why and the how? I believe the footage and information that Mojados offers is key to understanding the root of the issue, and can't be seen anywhere else. Migrants risk their lives and go through brutal life-threatening terrain to come to the United States and for the most part work hard and contribute to our society and economy. They leave their families behind in order to eventually come back to them with money and hopes for a better life. While the natural result of the film may come off as sympathetic to illegal immigrants, it's based on the fact and humanity of the issue. May 13, 2005

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