By: debbie lynn elias
The State Department estimates that upwards of 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year, largely for sexual exploitation, with 80% being females and 50% being minors. In truth and in fact, the US is a large scale importer of sex slaves. Exposed to the American public with Peter Landesman’s explosive 2003 New York Times article “The Girls Next Door” (and we aren’t talking about Hugh Hefner’s roommates), it didn’t take long for a story of this magnitude to reach ubber producer Roland Emmerich (“Independence Day”) and ultimately award winning playwright and screenwriter Jose Rivera. With Landesman and Emmerich each formulating parts of a whole and Rivera doing extensive research for accuracy and character development, the end result is the gripping and socially conscious dramatic thriller, TRADE.
Adriana and her brother Jorge live on the outskirts of Mexico City. A poor but loving and close family, Jorge makes himself some pocket change robbing unsuspecting tourists. Wanting to surprise his sister for her 13th birthday, he buys her a new bicycle. Their mother, knowing the streets are not safe for a little girl, tells Adriana not to ride the bike and for Jorge to take it back. Do either listen? No. While out riding her bike, Adriana is kidnaped by a group of sex traffickers who plan on selling her to the highest bidder. Jorge, feeling the guilt for his missing sister, goes on a one-man manhunt to find her.
Adriana, unaware that Jorge is looking for her, puts up a brave front. Befriended by fellow captive Veronica, a beautiful young single mother from Poland who was brought to the US under false pretenses, the two face the brutality, shame and horror of what they are forced to do and what is done to them by their captors as they head to New Jersey where they will be put on the auction block for the ultimate slave auction. Under the watchful eyes of their captor, Manuelo, the bond between the two becomes ever closer and for Manuelo, he shows signs of salvation and redemption.
In the meantime, we meet Ray, a cop on his own manhunt – for a daughter he never knew he had until her mother was dead and the little girl with these big beautiful kelley green eyes, long gone.
Using his street smarts, Jorge soon finds the kidnappers who have taken his sister and other girls and follows them, waiting for the right moment to free his sister. Unfortunately, the kidnappers are heading across the border. Well, so must Jorge. Stumbling onto Ray who also seems to be searching for something or someone, Jorge breaks into the trunk of Ray’s car so he can get across the border into Texas.
Ray, a quiet reticent man, doesn’t really warm up to Jorge and believes him to be spinning tales when he hears Jorge’s story. But clues keep falling into place that give him pause to believe that Jorge may not only be right about Adriana, but he may also have the answer to what Ray seeks. Joining forces, and with Ray calling in some favors, the two head for New Jersey to save Adriana.
I have long admired Kevin Kline’s portfolio of work, but never have I been as moved as with his powerful performance here as Ray. With minimal dialogue, but deliberate determined actions, he is compelling and fascinating. Drawn into Ray’s secretive enigmatic nature, Kline unfolds the mystery in a very careful and calculating manner that keeps you on the hook the entire film. Even more interesting is his relationship with Cesar Romas’ Jorge. Engaging and endearing. And what about Cesar Romas? This kid is incredible. In his first acting role, he is a scene stealer and a heartbreaker. His emotion is raw, unfettered and engaging. Another relative newcomer is Paulina Gaitan who as Adriana brings so much drama to her young character. Filled with a poignant joy and heartfelt strength, her tears are so real that you just want to open your arms and embrace her, telling her everything will be alright.
Kate Del Castillo, queen of the Mexican telenovellas but known to children everywhere as Sally the Porsche in “Cars”, tackles the villainous trafficker Laura. With her consciousness touched by the slave trading issues, this was a film she felt she had to do. “I knew it happened but I didn’t know it was that bad. I appreciate that now I know what’s going on.” Given the nature of Laura, Del Castillo had to draw from within to find a balance between Laura’s cold-hearted business of trafficking but still give her some humanity. She also ad-libbed a great deal to provide authenticity to her character having learned long ago that when “someone who is not Mexican writes for Mexicans, the words are not right. It’s not their first language so they don’t know.” Del Castillo wanted her portrayal to be as perfect as possible. She succeeds. Interestingly, key to her character and the story are Laura’s kelley green eyes. “It was a nightmare” as Del Castillo had to have contacts, “big, big ones that cover almost your entire eye. They were big and thick. I was blurry.” The lenses were doing so much damage to her that after each take they had to cut and allow her eyes to rest.
Polish pop princess and well known European actress Alicja Bachleda was a last minute casting choice for Veronica, the primary lead of the film. Hand picked by director Kreuzpaintner, Bachleda was also “touched and moved” by the story and felt this was “an amazing movie to do. To deliver the message. A meaning. And such a great part at the same time.” With only one day to create her character before lensing, she immersed into herself to create an internal backstory. One advantage was her familiarity with sex slave trading thanks to more open discussion and acknowledgment in Europe than in the US. Combining a protective ferocity with a gentle comforting tenderness, it is easy to see how she walked away with a Best Actress win earlier this week at the Boston Film Festival. Physically demanding, Bachleda did a free fall off a cliff. Anchored only by a wire, there was no rigging, no padding, no short shelf to catch her. She jumped into mid air with nothing but miles of open air below her. During a kidnaping scene, she was inadvertently struck in the mouth by her co-star’s watch resulting in cuts and as described by Bachleda, “Angelina Jolie sexy lips.”
Written by Jorge Rivera, the attention to detail is impeccable, although there are some inexplicable incongruities within the story as a whole. Actually interviewing women who were victimized and ultimately survived trafficking, he brings a moving depth to their characters, and none moreso than with Adriana and Veronica. Rivera, always excelling at character development does not disappoint here although I would like to have seen Ray fleshed out a bit more. Seemingly obscure details find a niche as the story progresses, keeping the viewer on his toes.
A truly international effort, when he himself was unable to direct the film due to other commitments, Emmerich chose German director Marco Kreuzpaintner to helm the project. Learning his trade at the side of other great German directors, Kreuzpaintner’s talents are evidenced. Although not very creative in his direction, he has a keen eye and captures what needs to be seen with a manipulative, provocative style. Although camera work lacks in certain parts losing some of the emotion of the scene and dialogue, Kruezpainter and cinematographer Daniel Gottchalk quickly rebound when it comes to hand held work creating riveting sequencing where the actors are liberated in their movement and not looking for a “mark.” As a whole, the film succeeds and I can see why Roland Emmerich picked Marco Kreuzpaintner to direct.
Intense, gritty, substantive, compelling, humanizing. TRADE begs for Oscar acknowledgment and yours.
Ray – Kevin Kline
Veronica – Alicja Bachleda
Laura – Kate Del Castillo
Jorge – Cesar Ramos
Adriana – Paulina Gaitan
Directed by Marco Kreuzpaintner. Written by Jose Rivera based on a story and article by Peter Landesman. Rated R. (119 min)
