It’s being sold as a “very relevant thriller...about a segment of our population who want to embrace the American Dream, but their hope is shattered by unfortunate circumstances.” First-time director Michael Dwyer pushes hard to elicit sympathy, but the unfortunate truth is our young undocumented martyr’s idea of embracing the American dream is committing credit fraud to underwrite her QVC bills. Caught and deported, Claudia (Veronica Sixtos) reluctantly takes up housekeeping at her estranged father’s ranch. She builds fences by day, and by night she plays partners-with-benefits with a slimy gringo (Roberto Urbina) who slips her a few Franklins in exchange for smuggling privileges. Other than Sixtos’s commanding performance, nothing rings true, including an overbold Hollywood ending — if in the second act you have a flamethrower, then in the following one it should be fired. Credit rookie screenwriter Kaitlin McLaughlin for daring to bookend her story with not one, but two “last runs.” (2015) — Scott Marks
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