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Trailer

El Norte

1983Movie2 h 21 min

Drama
79
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.7Metacritic757.5Rotten Tomatoes92%82%
79
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.7Metacritic757.5Rotten Tomatoes92%82%

Summary

Brother and sister Enrique and Rosa flee persecution at home in Guatemala and journey north, through Mexico and on to the United States, with the dream of starting a new life.

Good for

  • Friends night
  • Teens
  • Thought-provoking

Skip it if

  • You need an uplifting mood

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for laughs, warmth or comfort.

Movies with

Cast

13 of 13

Crew

Directed by
Gregory Nava
Written by
Anna Thomas, Gregory Nava
Produced by
Anna Thomas
Music by
Emil Richards, Malecio Martinez

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

October 11, 1983 · 2 h 21 min · Violence, Disturbing Imagery

Released
October 11, 1983
Runtime
2 h 21 min
Content
Violence, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Adventure, Drama
Original language
Spanish
Also spoken
English
Made in
United States, United Kingdom, Mexico
Budget
$800,000
Available in
4 countries

Tropes

An Immigrant's Tale, Match Cut, Contrast Montage +9

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream El Norte?"

Questions about El Norte

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream El Norte?

In the United States, you can rent or buy El Norte from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube.

Is El Norte worth watching?

79
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 79 (IMDb 7.7, Rotten Tomatoes 92%, and Metacritic 75).

Will I feel good after watching El Norte?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for bleakness and 8 for melancholy, against 3 for hopefulness.

Is El Norte plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on pathos (9 of 10) and character depth (8 of 10) more than on its plot.

Is El Norte in English?

SpanishEnglish

No, it was made in Spanish, with some English.

What tropes does El Norte use?

An Immigrant's TaleMatch CutContrast MontageHope SpotEthereal White DressDream SequenceTempting FateSeparated by a Common LanguageIncurable Cough of DeathBrick JokeDowner EndingHiding Behind the Language Barrierand 13 more

TV Tropes lists 25 tropes for it, including An Immigrant's Tale, Match Cut, and Contrast Montage.