Stunning photography: a deft back and forth between Northern Mexico's harsh cement perifery and the neon of New York paints the no-nonsense story of an immigrant dancer from Monterrey's vibrant Kolombia subculture.
51 Reviews
You won't regret it
fosfeno1 June 2020
As a middle class mexican from the northwest of the country, the Monterrey cholombiano subculture is not one that I'm too familiar with (remember Mexico is huge and diverse). This movie was captivating and entertaining, and it made me wonder what would happen to the protagonist. According to experts, this movie did an accurate ethnographic depiction of the cholombianos, which is something to applaud. I really liked the fact that the story felt 100 % real, it didn't focus the lens on the violence or on romanticising the struggles of the protagonist. So don't expect a fast-paced/ultra violent narcos-style movie.
Without being a documentary I feel I learned a lot about this urban tribe, their values like loyalty, and their amazing dance, you won't regret it!
what a great movie
briefexistance5 September 2020
I mean, it doesn't have much dialogue, character development and such, but it's so beautiful to watch. The cumbia colombiana is really a thing in northern México, and I had no idea until I lived in Monterrey. This is really a very simple movie concept, but somehow it's really enjoyable. It appeals to nostalgia, teen years, anarchy, vandalism, dancing and fun. I'm kinda proud of our cultural richness, it's amazing how different a country is when you move across neighborhoods or states, and here it's mostly emphasized between countries. We can see a glance of the migrant life, the troubles of losing your identity, feeling lonely and having a language barrier. Every human being, including counterculture marginalized groups of people (like the one we see in the film), deserve a decent lifestyle. The violence in our country is really omnipresent, it shows itself in dark alleys in broad daylight.
I Liked It!
justinmartin-9795328 May 2020
What a movie!
lizzie_rb3631 May 2020
Coming from a very similar background I found this movie painful yet beautifullly accurate. It's a faithful representation of the reality that people from troubled neighborhoods like that one have had and still have to live thanks to the organized crime. It makes a wonderful job portraying how heartbreaking it can be to be away from home, feeling alone and powerless, as well as the deep nostalgia of the good old days that won't ever come back.
If you are going to give it a shot, please try to put yourself in the position of those people who don't know better and who also have not very many options of having a better life.
If you are going to give it a shot, please try to put yourself in the position of those people who don't know better and who also have not very many options of having a better life.
Funny and diverse perspective!
dudumnz31 July 2022
Loved it
palacerevolution20001 June 2020
Loved this film. It is one of the first films in Netflix endless array of disposable clips. The actors are wonderful, naturals. It is mainly about their culture, their dance, and cut in flare ups of hard violence. You can see the Aztec influence in their dancing, in their look. Great film.
"I'm No Longer Here"
JonaFloppa24 December 2020
The way the naturalistic flow of this movie encapsulates you, was quite impressive. I absolutely loved the shot composition, and combined with the dense sets, and the impressive blocking made for such an eye popping movie. The authenticity and genuine emotions that the movie attempted to communicate, was really a cathartic moment for me. I was also just holy impressed by the sound design, and the purposeful lack of music was just genius. the only music that was audible was within the movies reality, and considering how important music was with the main character it made absolute sense. At this point I could very much tell that this is a director that I want to keep my eye on.
Now this movies isn't without its flaws. i noticed some of the supporting actors were weak and somewhat underwhelming. I was never really super engaged with the story and in some cases the movies lost me. I understand that this movie is more of a movie that you can vibe with. in which I absolutely think this does its job. Despite its flaws I was genuinely impressed with tons of aspects to this film, and I would absolutely be genuinely interested in the next movie that this director would make.
7/10
Now this movies isn't without its flaws. i noticed some of the supporting actors were weak and somewhat underwhelming. I was never really super engaged with the story and in some cases the movies lost me. I understand that this movie is more of a movie that you can vibe with. in which I absolutely think this does its job. Despite its flaws I was genuinely impressed with tons of aspects to this film, and I would absolutely be genuinely interested in the next movie that this director would make.
7/10
WATCH THE MOVIE! THE TALENT JUMPED OUT!
yadhira_gutierrez17 June 2020
The story beautiful and depressing. It revolves around a group of friends that love to dance and straight up VIBE. Though they are trouble makers, they would never actually do any harm. It conveys the hardships of growing up in a country where corruption is high and gang involvement being extremely prevalent in poor neighborhoods. The acting was phenomenal. It goes back and forth through a timeline of past and present which is so gorgeously executed. You feel the complete loneliness and utter frustration that Ulises feels when coming to a foreign country. It leaves you mourning for a group of friends that you never had before. It leaves you wishing the world wasn't so crazy. It leaves you astonished. WATCH IT! PLEASE!!!
Stranger in a Strange Town...
Xstal28 December 2020
... even one called home; life in Monterrey becomes untenable for a young gang lead, stranded in deep water, unable to fight the tide, washed up in New York where the currents repel - all played out to an original soundtrack of Cumbia Rebajada and the passion for expression, identity and dance.
Anti climactic
alfredmanchester2 June 2020
A Great Film
stefstars28 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I really enjoyed this film. Did not pick up my phone once while watching this film, it had my attention throughout. While the story is not told in a traditional linear way, you're still able to follow it. The story flashes between the main character's life in Monterrey and New York City. I see reviews complaining about how he doesn't change, doesn't really have any character growth and that is simply because he's "terko." Not just cos he's in gang called "terkos" but he's literally the definition of the word. That's why they gave you the definition at the beginning of the film. Guess it got lost in translation. Aside from that, he is hardened because of the violence he has grown up in. He's always been on survival mode, so the decision to put him in NYC was clever because that's a city that you always have to be on a survival mode in.
Despite the language barrier he does manage in the city, he becomes homeless after fighting the guy who gave him a place to stay but he makes a good point in that fight. The fight was because the guy wouldn't let him play his Cumbia music at a party he was having in favor of dubstep/electronic music. Ulysses basically tells him that he tries too hard to be Black. As there's truth in that statement, his host gets enraged and eventually beats him up. But I was so happy to see that acknowledged in a film. Despite the guy speaking Spanish and following the "foo" lifestyle, he's disconnected from his culture so is appropriating another. Ulysses grew up on the other side of the border, he doesn't understand this mentality. In the US, Latinos unconsciously do it but this has been the case throughout history; i.e: Zoot Suits. This is definitely a melting pot effect and it's a positive thing but sadly some individuals get lost in it and forget their own culture and background - something that's worth celebrating as well. So this was a scene I really appreciated.
His friendship with Lin, the Chinese American girl, was my favorite thing in the film. That showed the beauty of the melting pot of cultures in the US. Lin genuinely likes him and Ulysses eventually gets comfortable around her despite the language barrier. What eventually drives him away is when she brings him along to a party where he, once again, feels like an outsider. He felt that way even in a Latin bar he visited earlier in the film in NYC. His heart and soul are in Monterrey. He knows the life threatening consequences of going back to his hometown, but he's a "terko" after all.
I really liked this film, it's not perfect but it's amazing nonetheless. I highly recommend it. It's a great story told in such a natural way.
Despite the language barrier he does manage in the city, he becomes homeless after fighting the guy who gave him a place to stay but he makes a good point in that fight. The fight was because the guy wouldn't let him play his Cumbia music at a party he was having in favor of dubstep/electronic music. Ulysses basically tells him that he tries too hard to be Black. As there's truth in that statement, his host gets enraged and eventually beats him up. But I was so happy to see that acknowledged in a film. Despite the guy speaking Spanish and following the "foo" lifestyle, he's disconnected from his culture so is appropriating another. Ulysses grew up on the other side of the border, he doesn't understand this mentality. In the US, Latinos unconsciously do it but this has been the case throughout history; i.e: Zoot Suits. This is definitely a melting pot effect and it's a positive thing but sadly some individuals get lost in it and forget their own culture and background - something that's worth celebrating as well. So this was a scene I really appreciated.
His friendship with Lin, the Chinese American girl, was my favorite thing in the film. That showed the beauty of the melting pot of cultures in the US. Lin genuinely likes him and Ulysses eventually gets comfortable around her despite the language barrier. What eventually drives him away is when she brings him along to a party where he, once again, feels like an outsider. He felt that way even in a Latin bar he visited earlier in the film in NYC. His heart and soul are in Monterrey. He knows the life threatening consequences of going back to his hometown, but he's a "terko" after all.
I really liked this film, it's not perfect but it's amazing nonetheless. I highly recommend it. It's a great story told in such a natural way.
Loved it!!!
clzweig12 June 2020
I randomly found this on Netflix, and I'm so glad I pressed play. It does an excellent job of telling a personal story in a microcosm that engages in the larger story of displaced persons from Mexico into the U.S. seeking sanctuary. With an ethnographic approach to story telling, it's a beautiful film that I thoroughly enjoyed. Me encanta, Brava!!!
Just perfection
anahiortizfierros31 October 2020
As a young mexican adult that came here with my parents at a young age, this movie captured every emotion i felt when i had arrived to nyc. I cried at the end because of how overwhelmed i felt, the struggle and pain that ulisses went through. My parents had gone through similar events when they had arrived here, it just really captivates the loneliness of being in a new country.
A great story on How life's path can change in a moment
cotta002-318-8651195 June 2020
Excellent movie about a group of youngsters in a poor neighbourhood in Mexico lose themselves in Cumbia music. They design a counter culture and even with little or no money they express themselves in a street style that would be looked on in awe by peers in cities around the world.
The movie tells the story of friendship and youth and when a tragedy occurs how quickly things can change for the worse. This movie show the similarities in youth culture where they are subjected to ridicule, aggression, ostracised but even with all that their street cool is a massive attraction. If you look at history the eidelweiss pirates who were into jazz and fought the hitler youth in Germany or the working class English kids from north of England who danced to soul music they all have links irrespective of the country or time period.
Using authentic kids in the casting brought a real life element to this movie and it was believable and interesting to follow the twists and turns of one kid trying to get by and keeps getting knocked down, however music was always there as an escapism for him. Highly recommended.
The movie tells the story of friendship and youth and when a tragedy occurs how quickly things can change for the worse. This movie show the similarities in youth culture where they are subjected to ridicule, aggression, ostracised but even with all that their street cool is a massive attraction. If you look at history the eidelweiss pirates who were into jazz and fought the hitler youth in Germany or the working class English kids from north of England who danced to soul music they all have links irrespective of the country or time period.
Using authentic kids in the casting brought a real life element to this movie and it was believable and interesting to follow the twists and turns of one kid trying to get by and keeps getting knocked down, however music was always there as an escapism for him. Highly recommended.
Not worth to be watch it
asahelarenas29 May 2020
It doesn't matter who'a your hero or what he wants if you tell the story well the audience will care about it, here there's no story, grey characters that doesn't evolve, just another empty story too show "THE REAL MEXICO" when Mexican directors are going to show something else than poverty and drugs????? This is not worth to be watched.
Life in Monterrey
DogePelis201524 May 2021
Mesmerizing alien planet to which we all belong... in the end
franchlife16 May 2021
I am an old man in love with cinema for 70 years, At the end of this film I sat alone in the dark, silent, and unwilling to move from my chair. Then the deep connectedness and tears emerged. As if I were in a holy place, a place of the sacredness, connectedness, identity, and aloneness that all of share.
Dancing kid
valdezparetas1 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This movie shows you a kid and his love for music and dancing in a non common way, seen as an outcast in Mexico and glamorous in the USA. Ulises has to left México due to problems with a local cartel, forced to live in NY he has a mayor cultural shock, seeing arts and music from a different perspective.
Sad Reality in the lives of the young
silvasiembra28 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I believe only a foreigner or one who understands the struggles of a foreigner in this country can appreciate this film. This film brilliantly portrayed the loneliness and frustration experienced by them, which is seen in the life of Ulises while escaping violence in his country. However, the underlying story of the hopelessness of today's youth is what this film is about. They are talented, yet lack the opportunities to develop a productive life in society. They can cover up this reality with their artistic distraction yet, it's not enough to lead them to a worthwhile quality of life. To make matters worse, they are easy prey to illegal activities that lurk around them. As a result, they are left vulnerable to easily take a path of destruction. This film was very effective in reflecting the sad reality being faced by our youth. It left me with deep sadness seeing the difficulties being faced by them, especially when they are from deprived countries or broken families in this country.
Done on a budget
qui_j28 May 2020
This is a low budget look at a specific group of disenfranchised, unemployable Mexican teens who turn to drugs, theft etc in order to cope and survive. They are fans of Mexican Cumbia. If you are interested in that type of music, it will be interesting. Their version of the dance has obviously been influenced by original Aztec dance patterns so that was interesting to me. You can still see remnants of that dance genre in some states of Mexico, and a more stylized version that is done in performances by the Ballet Folklorico of Mexico. The film itself is very slow so really not going to be for everyone..
Great, i enhiyes it.
LUIS12 May 2021
Good Movie
JustinSookram31 May 2020
This movie swaps back and forth between Mexico and Mew York City. Mexico being the past experiences and New York being the present. A guy involved with a gang that wanted to make a new wave of music and dance. Then he ended up in NYC bringing his vibe with him and is totally fitting and is absolutely noticed and admired by Americans. I thought this was a good movie for being something that caught my eye and will recommend it to others.
Beautiful Film!
chrispule22 January 2021
Thank You Mexico for this gem - Terkos 4 Life
The visuals are gorgeous n captured beautifully
This movie smoothly drifts through the journey of Lead Ulises. As the Film goes full circle. It's a tough lesson of hardship n survival mode.
The cast of Kids were great! Great natural talent n the make up n hairstyle was superrrr dope.
Lastly the Chinese chick was super annoying lol.
The visuals are gorgeous n captured beautifully
This movie smoothly drifts through the journey of Lead Ulises. As the Film goes full circle. It's a tough lesson of hardship n survival mode.
The cast of Kids were great! Great natural talent n the make up n hairstyle was superrrr dope.
Lastly the Chinese chick was super annoying lol.
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