A group of workers are building a luxury mansion in Mexico City. The owner pays them late, falsifies documents to avoid compensating for an accident, and the workers' Union is powerless. Some take a measure of revenge by slipping in at night, and using facilities they built but would never otherwise enjoy. When the owner dies with no heirs, they occupy the almost-finished house, trying to claim ownership via squatters' rights.
I saw it at the Toronto International Film Festival, where the director said the 2 basic elements of the plot are known occurrences in Mexico - the rich building big houses, and the poor squatting in unoccupied ones. The action revolves around one main character, where the secondary characters are mostly played by actual construction workers. There are various actions that are hinted at, or occur off-screen, and that director's choice eventually got me irritated. But if you like contemporary social commentary, this is your film.
100% - Critics
88% - Audience
7.0Plot summary
Nothing is quite what is seems in David Zonana's extraordinary feature debut. From the dynamic opening to its detailed mapping of the complex interrelations that govern the building site where plasterer Pacheco works on the renovation of a luxury home, this complex study of human behavior juxtaposes altruism and opportunism with unexpected consequences. David Zonana manages to construct a deeply political film about exploitative labor practices that avoids any easy answers. Employing a cast of largely non-professional performers - the filmmaker spent several months collaborating with bricklayers and plasterers to develop the piece - Workforce benefits from a real sense of lived-in authenticity. The result increasingly echoes Buñuelian cinema - disquieting, original and hugely timely - where human nature is put under the cinematic scalpel.
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Class warfare in Mexico City
Realidad Pura
Ir you don't like drama, this movie isn't for you, it's very slow; but it's very well told. This usually happens in every very successful social area of Mexico. Very close to reality. The shots were very good and the main actor great performance.
Strong start but ends unsatisfactorily!
This film is based on a good premise. It starts well but seems to lose its way midway. The ending makes no sense whatsoever as no explanation or context is given for the action to make any sense. The viewer is left with too many unanswered questions that leaves them with a high level of dissatisfaction! A more thoughtful script, one with greater detain would have made a difference.