“Please follow me.” With just three simple, humble words, Diego and Elena’s lives are changed forever in the psychological drama “Upon entry, And after those three words are uttered by the directors at the very beginning of the suspenseful, methodical film alejandro rojas And Juan Sebastian VasquezThe tension only increases with each passing moment.
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you see, diegoalberto amman) and Elena (Bruna QC) is a happy couple who have just moved to Newark from Barcelona and are on the threshold of starting their new life in America. Elena has won the visa lottery, and they both hope their careers will flourish in the land of opportunity. But a routine stop at the immigration desk turns into a nightmare as they experience the harsh realities of entering the United States as a foreigner.
“On Entry” is a masterclass in suspense. And that’s saying a lot when considering the film largely takes place in one room. Granted, that is the room where the interrogation is taking place. But the way “On Entry” is executed, the audience feels like a third person in Diego and Elena’s relationship. And with each passing question, we’re learning things about his past and why he’s put aside exactly that time for secondary interviews. The twists and turns in the film are not the product of filmmaking finesse. They are organic and real. And thankfully, there are two lead actors in Rojas and Vasquez who are completely up to the task.
Amman and QC give their all in the roles of Diego and Elena respectively. Considering the situation the characters are present in, where they are being interrogated by law enforcement officers and every word they utter is being scrutinised, there is no need for over-the-top emotions or anything like that Which can be seen in dramatic form. Instead, the extraordinary moments in his performances happen in silence. pause between words. The way Amman’s eye twitches as if it is retreating. Or the way QC stares at her with watery eyes and trembling lips. In a film with a rigid structure—the interrogators ask a question, Diego and Elena answer—there’s a risk that the performances can feel robotic and stiff. However, with Amman and QC, each sentence has a deeper meaning, and each glance carries a lot of weight.
“On Entry” is truly a marvel of minimalist filmmaking. There is no score for swelling. There are no wild camera movements. At first, the cinematography could be mistakenly considered dull, but as you continue watching, it’s clear that every angle is purposeful and every closeup is expressive. And with a run-time of just 75 minutes, it’s a weak film that doesn’t give the audience a moment to take their eyes off the screen. It all leads to a movie watching experience where your stomach is in your throat, and you feel the need to go to the end to save yourself, the agony of watching two people bicker and why. From wanting to being surrounded by questions. How many times a week do you have sex since living in America?
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the entire film is how Rojas and Vasquez never quite take the audience’s hand and tell them what to think about the situation and the people involved. On paper, “On Entry” sounds like it could be didactic, talking about how terrible the United States is with immigrants — setting the film in 2019, during Trump’s presidency, is a nice touch. – But the movie doesn’t take that easy, predictable route. Sure, the Inquisitors can be seen as villains as they uncomfortably probe and probe into Diego and Elena’s lives. But as the interrogation continues and you realize that Diego and Elena may not be all that they seem, you understand that this is a complicated story with no easy answers. Should Diego and Elena be allowed into the US? What are their motivations? Are the interrogators wrong in bringing them for secondary enquiry? Don’t expect the filmmakers to spell it out for you or tell you how they feel.
The truth is that America, especially in the post-Trump world, is not exactly friendly to immigrants. And the process of trying to immigrate is a complicated, seemingly impossible mess. There’s a reason people cross borders illegally, right? However, the secret weapon in “On Entry” is that all the political aspects are simply made up for an engaging, suspenseful, and well-crafted drama about people facing the saddest moments of their lives. May be one of the experiences. , [A-]
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