"Raising Victor Vargas"
Handsome young Victor Vargas (Victor Rasuk) lives with his grandmother (Altagracia Guzman), brother Nino (Sylvestre Rasuk) and sister Vicki (Krystal Rodriguez) in New York's Lower East Side. He's a cocky guy, very sure of himself, until he falls for the mesmerizing eyes of Judy (Judy Marte) in a modern version of Romeo and Juliet, but without star-crossed lovers or swordfights, in writer/director Peter Sollett's teen romance in "Raising Victor Vargas."
From the start of "Raising Victor Vargas" the amateur caliber of the film is obvious, but I use the term in a good way, as devotion. First-time Helmer Sollett elicits, as the romance progresses and the characters develop, convincing performances from his mostly youthful cast. Most obviously a non-actor is grandma, the family matriarch, played by Altagracia Guzman, in a performance that reminds me of Martin Scorcese's mom's small role in "Goodfellas," but Guzman puts matronly flesh on her character. The rest of the young cast does a steady build, providing real character to their roles.
I did fear, in the opening moments, when Victor is interrupted by his shouting sister just as he is about to get it on with a neighborhood girl called Fat Donna (Donna Maldonado), put me in mind of Lenny Clark's yet-to-be-released "Ken Park" and its sordidness. Fortunately, things take a different tack when Victor sees Judy and love, rather than lust, takes hold.
"Raising Victor Vargas" foregoes the usual angst-ridden sub-drama that we come to expect in ethnic teen flicks that use violence, whether overt or lying beneath the surface, as the draw for its target auds. "RVV" does not go down that path and, when the film is over, it is obvious that it did not need too. Instead, a chaste yet passionate romance is the focal point and is handled in a way that will make parents of pubescent teens a little more comfortable with their kids. Heck, the first kiss between Victor and Judy takes almost 80 minutes to happen.
The matriarchal Latino household is well depicted with granny as top dog and Victor, because of his elder position among the three kids, held responsible for any infractions by him or his siblings. When she catches Victor's brother Nino in the middle of a personal carnal act in the bathroom, Victor is laid to blame for teaching his innocent brother such depravity. In the meantime, Victor is really trying to help his brother attract girls, nicely depicted in a scene where the wise older brother teaches Nino the importance of licking one's lips, keeping them moist as the means to getting the girls to notice him.
It is often the little touches that make "RVV" appealing, like when nana puts a padlock on her old rotary Western Electric phone to stop the kids' contact with the lustful outside world. When, by the end, the lock comes off and all their lives have changed, it is a happily-ever-after ending to a modern fairy tale romance.
"Raising Victor Vargas" is too much a small budget indie film to get more than art house treatment but it is such a well crafted, good hearted teen romance I hope it gets deserved life in the after market. I give it a B.
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