Hermano

Set in the slums of Caracas, Marcel Rasquin's soccer tale Hermano begins when Graciela (Marcela Girón) and her young son Julio discover an abandoned baby, who is then raised as Julio's brother. Fifteen years later the boys are the stars of their neighborhood football team—Julio (Eliú Armas) the rough enforcer and Daniel (Fernando Moreno) a speedy scorer—leading their mates into the championship game. Their coach has invited a professional scout to look them over, but tragedy intervenes when one of Julio's pals targets several rival gang members but accidentally kills Graciela. Daniel witnesses the shooting but claims not to have, fearing that telling his heartbroken, hot-tempered brother the truth will lead him to seek revenge. The funeral falls on the very day of the boys' scheduled tryout for the majors, and although they can make both, Julio's belief that Daniel knows more than he's saying threatens to tear them apart. Hermano features intense performances from its two young stars, while the on-field action boasts real punch, and the gritty visual style lends the film an authentic feel. An occasionally melodramatic tale that still powerfully captures the desperation of the Venezuelan capital's teeming underclass, this is recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary with director Marcel Rasquin, an interview with Rasquin (7 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a winning foreign drama.] (F. Swietek)