A high-suspense thriller set in an Ecuadorian village, "Cronicas" is, at first glance, far removed from our day-to-day lives on a campus in a suburb of Boston. The movie hits closer to home than one might think, however, raising relevant questions about journalism and the power of the media in general.
As you sit through the roller coaster of events, some of which are much more disturbing than others, you hardly realize the ethical questions sneaking up on you. How far should a journalist go in order to get a story? Is a carefully constructed story really the truth? Just how powerful is the media?
The work of the producers of 2001's "Y Tu Mama Tambien" "Cronicas" follows a TV tabloid journalist, Manolo Bonilla (John Leguizamo), as he travels to Ecuador to film a story about a serial killer, the "Monster of Babahoyo." Soon after arriving, Manolo and his crew witness a local man, Vinicio Cepeda (Damian Alcazar), accidentally run over a child and subsequently get attacked by a mob led by the boy's father.
Both are arrested and Manolo, relentless journalist that he is, interviews them, leading to a potentially huge revelation about the "Monster." Personal ambition, secrets and lies intertwine as the situation spirals dangerously out of control.
As with any suspense thriller, the success of the movie rests largely with the actors. John Leguizamo, best known for his comedic roles, is great as the convincing cutthroat journalist, eager to get to the top of his profession. As the movie goes on, the internal struggle between career and basic human instinct becomes more pronounced. With so much at stake for his career, Manolo has to decide where the line between good journalism and manipulation of the truth lies.
Manolo's crew, Marisa (Leonor Watling) and Ivan (Jos?© ?ar?? Yazpik), go through this struggle as well. Watling and Yazpik play excellent supporting characters to Leguizamo's Manolo as the crew experiences the tumultuous events.
Even more intense than the moments between the crew are those between Manolo and Vinicio. It is these brilliantly-acted scenes that form the backbone of the story. Damian Alc????r brings a certain chilling, haunting quality to Vinicio - he has created a deep, complex character with an impressive range that makes viewers root for him one moment and detest him the next.
Unfortunately, the film does have its downsides. Some side stories, such as an affair between Manolo and Marisa, seem to lack direction. The strong central plot, while much more focused than the side stories, is nothing exceptionally original and the ending is fairly predictable.
Still, the film's strengths outweigh its weaknesses. The main story may not be innovative itself, but raises issues in an original way. The tagline, "If it's on TV, it must be the truth," sarcastically sums up the media-related issues raised. "Cr??®©?as" leaves you thinking about ethics in journalism and the effect they have on news viewers.
How much of what is viewed on TV and read in newspapers is real and how much of it is carefully constructed for a story? What are the rules for reporting a story and how much can they be bent? This is a film that leaves many questions and no easy answers.
