“Brownsville Bred is a miracle of an indie film that will make you laugh, cry, and inspire you…what a beautiful gem of a movie…”–Evan Ginzburg, Associate Producer The Wrestler
When was the last time you sat in a packed movie theater and an audience spontaneously and enthusiastically applauded a film?
Such was the case with Elaine Del Valle’s warm, funny, gritty and tremendously poignant indie film Brownsville Bred.
Adapted from her stage play and autobiographical novel about growing up in Brownsville, Brooklyn it tells- warts and all- about her resilient Puerto Rican family struggling to make ends meet in the 1980s as seen through the eyes of young Elaine.
Music is front and center in Brownsville Bred as their addicted musician father (played by a wonderful Javier Muñoz) struggles throughout and must win back Elaine’s love. When he sings Edwin Vazquez’s Semilla De Fe to her the raw emotion is riveting and profoundly powerful. You’d be hard pressed to find a better musical scene. Vazquez, best known for working on Broadway’s Capeman soundtrack with such luminaries as Marc Anthony, Ruben Blades and Paul Simon also has a cameo in the film and his rousing and glorious music helps this gem soar.
A scene towards the end of Brownsville Bred where Elaine and her father pour their hearts out to each other over a dramatic phone call will just tear your heart out.
While there are a few loose ends that are never quite tied together, the film rings true, the cast is uniformly wonderful, and Brownsville Bred will stay with you forever.
Del Valle fought for many years for this to finally reach the screen and bravo to her and all involved- this one’s just lovely.
Bring a handkerchief and be prepared to be wowed by Brownsville Bred.
Evan Ginzburg is an Associate Producer and appears in Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler. He is Associate Producer on the documentary 350 Days, Executive Producer on Theresa Sareo Alive Again featuring Gary Sinise, and Executive Producer on Wrestling- Then and Now starring Killer Kowalski. He is the author of Apartment 4B, Like in Brooklyn and Wrestling Rings, Blackboards, and Movie Sets. Read his film reviews at From The Art House to the Grindhouse on Facebook. (5) Facebook