NO MAN’S LAND

 

Jeri Jacquin

 

Coming from director Conor Allyn, writer Jake Allyn and IFC Films comes the story of borders and mistakes when living in NO MAN’S LAND.

Bill (Frank Grillo) and Monica Greer (Andie MacDowell) live on a ranch right on the border between the United States and Mexico. Bill is constantly irritated by the immigrants illegally crossing the borders and messing up his fence and stealing livestock. Brothers Lucas (Alex MacNicoll) and Jackson (Jake Allyn) help their father protect the land.

On the other side of the border is Gustavo (Jorge A. Jimenez), a father who is bringing his young son across the border in the night. Bill and the boys go after the immigrants and after a misunderstanding Jackson accidentally shoots Gustavo’s son and Lucas is hurt. Texas Ranger Ramirez (George Lopez) investigates what has happened but not before Jackson takes off.

Making his way to Mexico, he now becomes the illegal alien looking for Gustavo. Luis (Andres Delgado) wants to help Gustavo find revenge and makes it his mission to find Jackson and make him pay. Ramirez goes after Jackson as well. Along the way he finds people willing to help him, protect him and, the hope that he will be forgiven.

He must try!

Allyn as Jackson is a young man overwrought with guilt and caught between fathers. Trusting in his own father and wanting to keep the ranch intact and seeing the destruction of a family in another family’s eyes. Deciding to break away and take his own journey, he leaves his family behind and now has a Texas Ranger giving chase. Allyn as Jackson is endearing and knows the only way he can move forward with his life and face it all is to find Gustavo.

Jimenez as Gustavo is a man dealing with death yet not dealing with the part he played in it. Instead, he allows his grief to overwhelm him to anger and it is felt by Luis leading him down a destructive path. In the scene between Jimenez and Allyn at the end are the most powerful I have seen in a film for long time.

Grillo as Bill is hostage and angry at the destruction to his ranch and the illegal immigrants that make their way through his land. When he has finally had enough, that is when everything takes a horrible turn and the repercussions for the Greer family. MacDowell as Monica is caught up in her husband’s eagerness to clear out his lands but when it affects her sons, now you have made Mama Bear angry.

Lopez as the Ranger Ramirez seems to be nonchalant about his job until he is called to the Greer ranch. Trying to get answers from the family, it is clear that someone is lying and when Jackson makes a run for it, Ramirez knows he must go across the border to capture him. Delgado as Luis is an angry young man and he takes full advantage of that by abusing his own people so imagine what he wants to do to a young American accused of murder.

Other cast include Esmeralda Pimentel as Victoria, Ofelia Medina as Lupe, Andres Delgado as Luis, Sandra Zellweger as Raquel, Julieta Ortiz as Rosa, Fernando Cuautie as Enrique, Juan Remolina as Hector, and Alessio Valentini as Fernando.

IFC Films is a leading distributor of quality talent-driven independent films. Some of the company’s successes include BOYHOOD, FRANCES HA, MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, TOUCHING THE VOID, CHE, TINY FURNITURE and CARLOS. For more information on films from IFC please visit www.ifcfilms.com.

NO MAN’S LAND is a look at the immigrant story from a totally different point of view. The Greer family has their own set of beliefs about the land that they live off of and those who cross the border through it. Their frustration is left unchecked and the town Texas Ranger does not seem to have a feel for it one way or the other.

The story that director Allyn is telling is that of a young man trying to find a way to forgive himself and only seeing Gustavo can make that possible. In the process he sees Gustavo’s way of life and the people he and his family have misunderstood all along.

In the end – the only way back is to cross the line!

 

RIVER RUNS RED Seeks Revenge on Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

On 4K UHD, Bluray and DVD from Cinedigm Entertainment Group and writer/director Wes Miller comes a story of justice and revenge with RIVER RUNS RED.

Charles Coleman (Taye Diggs) is a man who has worked hard for a career in law and becoming a judge. Married to medic Eve (Jennifer Tao) and raising son CJ (Joseph Belk), he is seeing all of his life dreams come true.

When Coleman and CJ have a friendly bet, it is CJ who drives away in his fathers expensive car! On his way to school, he is pulled over by Officer Rory (Gianni Capaldi) and Officer Von (Luke Hemsworth) and while reaching for his wallet the officers open fire.

Coleman and Eve are devastated and can not understand how such a thing can happen. They are angry and even more so when they are told that CJ had a gun leading to the officers shooting him. They know this isn’t true but the pain of their loss has them trying to cope the best they know how. Coleman enlists the help of Detective Horace (John Cusack) to find out more about the officers who shot his son.

Javier (George Lopez) is a mechanic who with his wife Marilyn (Briana Evigan) have spent the last two years avoiding the thoughts of their sons death. Coleman goes to see him when he realizes that there is a connection between them. Javier wants nothing to do with speaking about the death of his son; that is until Coleman shows him something that changes his mind.

Motivated by anger, rage and sadness, the two fathers make a plan to take matters into their own hands.

Diggs as Coleman is a husband and father who has worked hard to become a judge and to provide for his family. Enjoying his life it all changes in the flash of gunfire. Diggs portrays a father mired down in the hurt and rage at the unfairness by the same system that he has spent years being a part of. Turning to all those that should be helping him, he finds that they don’t seem to take the situation seriously. This is a tough role but Diggs gives it all the twists and turns up to the shocking ending.

Lopez as Javier is another father who can’t seem to get past the death of his son. Pushing down his feelings he thinks he finally has his life bearable. That is until he gets a visit from Coleman with his suspicions about the officers who killed CJ and shows father Javier a reason to join him in a plan to get justice for both of their sons. Lopez gets a chance to show serious acting chops.

Hemsworth as Von knows almost immediately that what has happened with the judges’ son isn’t something that is going to go away. Trying to move forward, he immerses into his own home life and that of his young son. Capaldi as Rory is a hot headed cop who seemed to be looking for any reason that day to shoot someone. Keeping an eye on his partner Von and believing they are in the clear is his first mistake. Both of these actors played off of each other’s character in a chilling way.

Tao as Eve lashes out at her husband when ever she thinks about the death of their son. She also wants justice and feels that Coleman isn’t doing enough to make that happen. Evigan as Marilyn watches her husband become withdrawn but when Coleman shows up she fears what he will do.

Cusack as Horace is a detective that realizes what Coleman is up against. Wanting to help his friend discover what the two officers are hiding, he begins to see a change in the judge and fears for him.

Other cast include: RJ Mitte as Officer Thomas, Steve Berrebi as Brass One, Jaqueline Fleming as Professor Lawless, Tshombi Basemore as Diego, Michael Clofine as Officer Mike, John D. Hickman as Officer Tom and Spencer Kingsley as Carter.

Cinedigm is a leading distributor of amazing content in storefronts, digital platforms, Internet and Demand platforms for cable television. With an extensive library of over 52,000 films and television shows, Docudrama films, next-gen Indies and Independent films. At its inception, Cinedigm has played a pioneering role in transitioning movie theatres from traditional film prints to digital distribution to advance worldwide cinema modernization. For more on what Cinedigm has to offer please visit http://www.cinedigm.com.

RIVER RUNS RED is a film that speaks about the times we live in and the way the justice system handles cases of officer involved shootings. Even when the young man killed has a father who is a judge, there seems to be a thin veil that no one wants to push through.

Writer/director Wes Miller jumps in without any hesitation in pointing out the inequalities both Coleman and Javier face. There isn’t any mincing of words or emotions bringing it all straight out into the open. The ending is staggering, shocking and emotional showing that everything doesn’t wrap up as neatly.

The cast led by Diggs and Lopez brings a strong intensity to the story and once the film begins, there aren’t to many moments to catch your breath.

In the end – vengeance is the only justice!