Keep in mind that your responses should NOT simply be a re-narration of the film’s plot or a summary of the assigned reading. A higher grade will be awarded to responses that demonstrate your ability to provide an original interpretation of the film while also applying relevant concepts, issues, and theories covered in the course.

1. How are the themes of brotherhood in particular and family relations in general portrayed in the film?
2. How does the film present differences between social classes?
3. What are the thematic and narrative connections linking the film’s three storylines? What cinematic techniques does the director use to establish these connections?
4. How could one interpret relations between the human characters and their dogs?
5. What do you think would be the reaction of such organizations like the SPCA or PETA to this film

6. and short common on this one: There is definitely a chasm in family relations and general relations in this film. For starters, there is much infidelity, lying, and general mistrust between all the characters, in particular the brothers. Typically, a brotherhood would suggest people that stick together through thick and thin despite differences, but in this particular story, the 2 brothers are at different ends of the spectrum and seem to not have a very good relationship despite being blood related. The only characters that seem to possess characteristics of a brotherhood are Octavio and Jorge and the relationships these men share with their dogs. 2. The different stories and protagonists of the film are all from different economic classes. To frame this and make it a focal point, the directors had a back story for each character and it showed the stark difference between all characters and backgrounds. Octavio, Susana, and her husband all seem to be at the low end of the spectrum because they struggle to make it by, and even to provide for their baby. The model is really the only one in the upper class; she is portrayed as classy and famous and with lots of money and ability to do anything she wants. Although El Chivo is making money from being a direct hitman, I wouldn’t consider him upper class because he is still working cases and participating in lower class activities such as dog fighting. 3. The thematic and narrative connections are far and wide in this movie. To make things more dramatic, they show the crash scene 4 times in different perspectives to shed light on how it has effected everyone differently. The emotional spectrum of the film was also greatly achieved; there was a theme of loss and love throughout that showed the struggle of simply being a human. The love between Susana and her husband and the courting Octavio, the loss of their dogs, and the loss of loved ones in the crash shows how quickly life can change and things can be lost but how quickly love can be reinserted into life and renewed. 4. The relationships between the humans and their dogs is almost better than those relationships that are linked with blood. The brothers don’t get along quite as well as the humans and their dogs do, which would suggest that “man’s best friend” is a real saying. There is real loss and emotion when the dogs die, and this attachment is not easily forgotten. It is as if their whole lives revolve around and depend on their relationship with their dogs, and feelings run very very deep. 5. I think that PETA would react to this in a negative way at first because obviously dog fighting harms animals and humans alike, but upon finding out that they were just playing might soften their reaction a bit. PETA is famous for interpreting things negatively and portraying things in such a way that animals always seem that they are in danger but in this case, it was just used for the film. Although dog fighting is generally not a common practice, it definitely should be condemned.

21 hours ago