We Are What We Are (2010)

We Are What We Are (2010)
aka: Somos lo que hay
Director: Jorge Michel Grau
Writer: Jorge Michel Grau
Cast: Adrián Aguirre, Miriam Balderas, Francisco Barreiro
When the patriarch of the family passes away, the teenage children must take responsibility for the family chores: the preparation of the rituals, the hunting and putting the all-important meat on the table. These newfound responsibilities are even more daunting, however, when you live in the city and happen to be a family of cannibals.

When an husband & father of three fails to arrive home from one of his many visits with hookers. They are forced to go on without him which isn't easy in such a deprived area of Mexico. Only they're not you're average family because they've a ritual they do every few days, they eat human flesh and for some reason they've been led to believe if they fail to do this they'll die. The three teen children set about finding victims for their feast which the mother will prepare.

As much a social commentary about Mexico's poverty as it is an horror, in the same way I guess London had Sweeney Todd, if the people can't afford to feed their selves they'll feed on each other. As well as the family's cannibalism angle there's a feeling incest is going on between the two youngest teens. It never really sheds a light on if its since the father as died or if its been going on longer. The eldest son who comes across like the only member of the family with any real intelligence, appears to be a repressed homosexual. Its all done in a very bleak manner, except that is for the pursuing police who for some reason are like corrupt versions of Inspector Clouseau, infact it isn't until a gang of revenge seeking prostitutes get involved, do the family have any real reason to worry about being caught. We Are What We Are seem's to be a film that's split movie goers you'll either really like it or think it's pretty average. I really liked it but the person I watched it with didn't and couldn't give a reason why. All I can advise is its well worth hunting down and viewing, if only to make you're own mind up.

(7½ out of 10)