Raising Victor Vargas

Release Year: 2002
Review: A nice coming of age story about a teenager living in the Lower East Side learning to deal with his ego, family and girlfriend, despite the challenges of living in a in poor neighborhood and a difficult family situation. Using unknown actors and filming on location in New York, there is a real authentic, gritty feel which makes it more believable and easier to connect to the characters. Unfortunately the story just didn't go anywhere. The conflicts felt lacking and plot lines just seemed to die without really fleshing themselves out. 'Raising Victor Vargas' has a great feel to it, but lacks anything else that would raise this above being an average coming of age story.
Rating: 3/5