In his short films, director Rashaad Ernesto Green was never reluctant to tell difficult stories, and his first feature film pushes that personal aesthetic of his even more.
In Gun Hill Road, Green tells the story a family in transition — in more ways than one. Esai Morales plays Enrique Rodriguez, who unceremoniously returns home from his latest three-year stint in prison to find not only his wife rejecting his attempts to reassert himself as head of the household, but a son about whom something seems seriously off. Not helping is a deep secret that Enrique is living with that constantly consumes his thoughts, but he chooses to focus on re-forging his relationship with his wife and son.
But this story is as much about the son Michael (played by newcomer Harmony Santana) as it is about the father. Michael is a developing transgender homosexual, but Enrique, at first, refuses to see it. Michael wears girlish clothing during the day, and by night secretly sneaks out as “Vanessa,” hanging out with friends and going to poetry slams, where he performs as his alter ego. But Michael is still young, very green, and just getting used to even regarding himself as transgender — physically and mentally — and his transformation takes some alarming turns. And it’s this unfortunately dangerous journey — and secret — that puts him in odds with his father, who just can’t figure out why his son isn’t like other dudes in the neighborhood.
Adding to that is his wife Angela’s hidden affair (we’re to believe it was more emotional than physical) with Hector (Vincent Laresca, in an impressive performance), a man who actually accepts Michael for who he is and Angela for who she can be without a consistent felon for a husband. And she can’t seem to explain to her macho and very culturally hardened Latino husband that Michael is different and that isn’t going to change. But eventually, Enrique’s cringe-worthy methods of dealing with Michael’s way of life may have gotten her to re-think that rationale.
Still, Green makes it apparent that Michael’s love for his family is never in question. From having to take a crappy and abusive job to going to emasculating parole officer meetings to even having to get violent with some neighborhood people, it isn’t debatable that he’s doing what he has to to save his family. And the director is keen on not falling into stereotypes with the main cast or supporting characters, making Gun Hill Road an especially sensitive, moving, and personal film.
Judy Reyes (TV’s Scrubs) truly takes a star turn as Angela. I’m seldom this way, but certain characters are difficult to separate from their roles, but now I see her more as this character than I do as the no-nonsense nurse from that sitcom.
But I can’t end this without saying that we made a serious mistake here on Limité by not having Morales as one of our official annual Limité Honors recipients. He is a fantastic actor, has been for over two decades now, and the power — yet salient sensitivity — behind his eyes in his performances and towards his fellow actors is obvious and should be celebrated more often.
Limité Rating: 4/5
Director: Rashaad Ernesto Green
Screenwriter: Rashaad Ernesto Green
Producers: Ron Simons, Michelle-Anne M. Small
Cast: Esai Morales, Judy Reyes, Vincent Laresca, Harmony Santana
Distributor: Motion Film Group
Genre: Drama
Site: gunhillroad.com
Runtime: 88 min.
Release Date: August 5, 2011 (limited)
