We Are What We Are, Is What It Is.

Do not be confused by the hype machine and its marketing of Jorge Michel Grau's Mexican film We Are What We Are, this is first and foremost a family drama with a splash of horror.  The horror that is publicized occurs for the majority in the last 10 minutes.


We begin with the death of the patriarch and from there we shift perspective to the rest of the family.  Here we have a useless mother, two sons, and a daughter.  It quickly becomes evident that the daughter will function as the mother and the two sons will have to battle each other to secure there place as leader of the clan.


The eldest son is next in line, he's level headed but filled with anxiety.  The other son is the wild card and clearly not fit to lead.  The daughter-mother makes it her job to ready the eldest for the next "ritual."


The plot moves slowly with a few impressive ingrediants, but overall doesn't deliver until the third act when all hell breaks loose.  In most cases a film like this would provide a pressure cooker of a second act, but instead we are given botched attempts at fulfilling the ritual.  In the end everyone brings a candidate home and this is where the film finally gets good.


Overall, this is a strong first feature.  Its major problems could have been avoided in the editing room.  As it stands it is convincing and shows us a slice of life through a demented family dynamic.


Rating III/V