For a time, I was a little worried that Sayles would be taking the easy way out, shooting fish in a barrel, as it were. They have no respect for the Filipino traditions or culture, seeing the natives as just another bit of fauna on the island. Hardacre’s response? “No, you have to make war on these people.” By the time the film reaches its terrible, but inevitable, conclusion, Compton is as much a part of the machine as anyone else, powerless to stop its destructive force.Īt first, Sayles portrays the American soldiers in such a way as to make them seem almost cartoonishly callow and crude. Hardacre that his policies for the villagers are too harsh: “I have to live with these people,” he complains. In one key scene, Compton complains to Col. Compton’s journey from disrespectful Yankee to cautious supporter that gives the film some of its most powerful moments. Compton and Rafael are the beating heart of the film, their performances complimenting each other perfectly. Neff has more of a bit part but Dillahunt really shines. Quotes from amigo by john sayle tv#I don’t recall seeing these two in anything other than their TV show (despite Dillahunt’s impressive resume, I can’t recall him in anything else, including No Country for Old Men), so I had no idea what to expect. Particularly impressive (and surprising, at least to me) were the performances by Dillahunt and his Raising Hope co-star Lucas Neff. To a man/woman, the acting is top-notch across the board. There are some truly beautiful, long shots in the film, shots that are so composed as to be almost painted. Sayles has used his Filipino locations to excellent effect, providing a place that is equal parts paradise and Hell. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Rafael marches ever closer to his own oblivion, while his world falls apart around him.įirst things first: Amigo looks absolutely gorgeous. On the other side, the Americans have pledged to make impossible for anyone who aids the guerrillas. Rafael, dubbed “Amigo” due to his answer regarding his name, couldn’t be in a worse position: his brother is actually the leader of the guerrillas, his young son is part of the movement and the guerrillas have pledged to kill anyone who assists the Americans. Once there, Compton charges the villages mayor, Rafael, with assisting them in setting up the garrison. Hardacre (Chris Cooper, so starched that he practically cracks whenever he walks) has charged Lt. The American soldiers have been getting hammered by Filipino guerrilla fighters and Col. Compton (Raising Hope’s Garret Dillahunt in an absolutely stunning performance) arrive at a small village in the Philippines, with the intention of occupying it and creating a U.S. Set during the Philippine-American War at the beginning of the 1900s, Amigo is the heartbreaking story of what happens when the only available choices are bad ones. As always, I only wish that I’d made more of an effort to see this earlier. Due to various outside factors, however, I’ve neglected to see his 2010 release, Amigo, until recently. The first Sayles’ film I actually got to see in a theater was Lone Star, which is also one of my favorites (perhaps these two things are related?) and I’ve made it a point to see whatever he deigns to release. Here was a guy who somehow managed to mash together sci-fi, indie and message films into one delicious stew, creating not only a response to Spielberg’s ET (just two short years before The Brother…) but a powerful statement on the immigrant experience in America at that time (and now, to be honest).Īfter that first film, I devoured as much Sayles as I could get my hands on. I’ll admit: I was hooked from the get-go. My first experience with Sayles came in the late ’80s, when I first saw The Brother From Another Planet. When I think of independent film, three names immediately pop into my head: Soderbergh, Jarmusch and Sayles. Let’s get one thing straight, right off the bat: they don’t make ’em like John Sayles anymore. I don’t think I could come up with two more polar opposites if I tried: Amigo definitely helped wash the mold from my brain. As the perfect complement to Sunday’s viewing of the brain-dead Butcher Boys, I figured that I would go to the other extreme and watch a John Sayles film.
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