Nicotina (2003)

Directed by Hugo Rodriguez

Starred Diego Luna, Marta Belaustegui, Rosa Maria Bianchi, Lucas Crespi, Jesus Ochoa, Norman Sotolongo, Rafael Inclan ...

2003, Mexico & Argentina & Spain, Spanish

 

Here is another fun caper movie: a Latino version of Guy Ritchie capers or Tarantino crime flicks with Mexican flavour, as the most of the viewers describes. The movie received both positive and negative critics. Negative; because audience doesn't find it very original and finds it repetitive. Positive; because audience thinks it is a nice marriage of traditional Mexican urban comedy with Tarantino & Ritchie style. The movie is often compared with Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Pulp Fiction, Run Lola Run, Snatch and sometimes even with Amores Perros (Love is a Bitch).

In my personal opinion, there is nothing wrong with being heavily influenced by other movies. Except, if it is almost in a dose of copying. To me Snatch is a copy of Lock, but this one is heavily influenced by these two movies. As in interesting note, one of the memorable characters of the movie is a dog just like in Snatch. The story is international, I mean it isn't necessarily Mexican. The characters are familiar and story-line & editing isn't something we have never seen before. Told in real-time, it was a nice Mexican experience in the genre but it isn't neither their most original nor best movies like Amores Perros, Y Tu Mama Tambien (And Your Mother, Too), Babel or Sin Nombre (Without Name), the ones received world wide appreciation.

Won many awards in Ariel Awards, known as Mexican Oscars and in Mexico MTV Movie Awards. Ah, and I shouldn't forget to mention Diego Luna. Internationally acclaimed actor's presence is the biggest plus of the movie. As many of others, Bianchi's short but memorable acting is one of my favorite.

So if you enjoyed Snatch and Lock, and are ready to try a good caper from world cinema, go and rent this Mexican, Argentine and Spanish co-production.

To see the whole blog, please click here.

 

If you look for;

lots of chasing
crazy characters
a heist with a highly humorous style
a wild, dark caper
a heist with high dose of violence
a robbery movie from world cinema
a heist told in real time

then this is your movie.

If you liked this movie, I believe you might like also:
(available in the blog)

Maverick (1994)
Firewall (2006)
Small Time Crooks (2000) 
7 cajas / 7 Boxes (2012)

*** 

Degree: Caper Movie

Sub-Category: Jewelry Robbery

Excellence of Robbery Plan: 2/5

Originality of Robbery Plan: 4/5

Quality of Robbery Action Scenes: 3/5

Actors' Performances: 4/5

Excitement Level: 4/5

Surprise Level: 3/5

Humor Level: 3/5

Originality of the Story in General: 4/5

Rating As A Robbery/Heist Movie: 3/5

Rating the Movie As A Whole: 3/5

Important Reminder: Below trailer might contain important spoilers.

International Trailer

 

Tráiler en español