After 16 years in Brooklyn, working three low-paying jobs and collecting bottles on the street in his spare time and sending the bulk of his earnings home to his family in Mexico, Felipe decides to return after almost two decades. But when he informs his family of his homecoming, he discovers that they’ve squandered the money, are deeply in debt and don’t want him to return. They need him to stay in the US.
After 16 years living in the US working odd jobs and collecting plastic bottles for money, Felipe struggles with the decision to return home to Mexico. He hasn’t seen his children since they were babies and is afraid of what his life will be like upon his return. Every day is difficult, he awakens early in order to collect plastic bottles around Brooklyn and then work at many low paying jobs to earn enough money to send home to his family. For the past 16 years, Felipe has been promising to return home and with the advice from a friend, he becomes more insecure, afraid and discouraged about the reality of his return. He ponders the questions of will his children accept and respect him? Will he be good enough for his family?
When his son tells him that he is having financial trouble and owes a substantial amount of money he has to repay, Felipe becomes upset and needs to work even more to help pay the debt. He seeks help from a healer who suggests his son is lying and is using the money for other purposes. He also tells Felipe that he needs to make a decision to return home for himself and refrain from being taken advantage of by his children who use him only for financial gain. Lonely and needing companionship, he meets a woman whom he asks to be in a serious relationship with. She knows he wants to return to Mexico and never return, this upsets her and now Felipe uses their relationship as another reason to postpone his departure.
This documentary takes a real look at what it’s like through the eyes of a man afraid to confront his past and who is conflicted about picking up where he left off. I thought this was a great film and an authentic look at the reality of what it takes for some immigrants just to keep their heads above water in this country. I left the theater wondering if Felipe will ever return home.
In Theaters Friday, September 6th
