Ladrón que roba a ladrón (2007)

Director:

Joe Menendez

Writer:

JoJo Henrickson (writer)

Release Date:

18 April 2008 (Mexico)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Crime

Plot:

Two former thieves reunite to rob the biggest thief they know -- Moctesuma Valdez, a TV infomercial guru who's made millions selling worthless health products to poor Latino immigrants. When none of their affiliates want to go undercover as day laborers to pull off the heist, the two men turn to the real thing for help.

Plot Keywords:

Immigrant | Infomercial | Amateur | Con | Con Man

Cast

Fernando Colunga	...	Alejandro Toledo
Miguel Varoni	...	Emilio Lopez
Saúl Lisazo	...	Moctesuma 'Mocte' Valdez
Ivonne Montero	...	Rafaela
Oscar Torres	...	Miguelito (as Oscar Torre)
Ruben Garfias	...	Rafa
Gabriel Soto	...	Anival Cano
Julie Gonzalo	...	Gloria
JoJo Henrickson	...	Julio Miranda
Sonya Smith	...	Veronica Valdez
Richard Azurdia	...	Primitivo
Jon Molerio	...	Booth Guard
Eduardo Antonio Garcia	...	Sergio, Mocte's Bodyguard
Rick Najera	...	Building Guard #1
Lidia Pires	...	Blanca
Roberto Medina	...	Chava
Silvia Curiel	...	Maria
Art Bonilla	...	Coyote
Elan Garfias	...	Claudito
James Charles Leary	...	Building Manager
Manolo Travieso	...	Dr. Antonio Panaco
Ross Gibby	...	Detective
James M. McNamara	...	Father O'Malley
Jossara Jinaro	...	Reporter
Pedro Pano	...	Testimonial #1
Minerva García	...	Testimonial #2
Iglesias Estefania	...	Hot Babe #1
Jonathon Downs	...	Upscale Party Guest
Chase McKenna	...	Hot Babe #2
Robert Arevalo	...	Mayor's Bodyguard
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nick Rey Angelus	...	Striking Worker
George Boyd	...	Catarino
Tim Camarillo	...	Valet
Galo Make Canote	...	Protestor
Rico Devereaux	...	Businessman
Roberto Flores	...	Pelocine
Jennie Floyd	...	Party Goer
J. Teddy Garces	...	Building Guard #2
Rob Macie	...	Immigrant
Joe Menendez	...	Camerman
Charyse Monet	...	Upscale Party Guest (as C-Sharp)
Lauren Montes	...	Protestor - Striker
Daniel Edward Mora	...	Alfonso Galan (scenes deleted)
Rosalinda Morales	...	Overweight Woman
Eve Muller	...	La Doña Catarino
Joe Orrego	...	Vault Guard #2
Paul Renteria	...	Vault Guard #1
Robyn Sheridan	...	Party guest
Gary Stella	...	Man in Pelocine commercial
Ray Torres	...	Unkempt Man
Jenny Vidaurri

Directed by
Joe Menendez

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
JoJo Henrickson		writer

Produced by
Roni Eguia Menendez	....	producer
James M. McNamara	....	producer
Ben Odell	....	producer
Meta Valentic	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Andrés Levin

Cinematography by
Adam Silver

Film Editing by
Joe Menendez

Casting by
Rosalinda Morales
Michelle Moran

Production Design by
Christopher Tandon

Art Direction by
Adam Mull

Set Decoration by
Lisa Fischer

Costume Design by
Elaine Montalvo

Makeup Department
Elvia Romero	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Roni Eguia Menendez	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jenny Nolan	....	second assistant director
Gary Stella	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Laura Diamond	....	property master
Katie L. Fetting	....	graphic designer
Michael Francisco	....	assistant property master
Sasha Freedman	....	assistant art director
Gerard Marin	....	lead man

Sound Department
Mauricio Castañeda	....	foley artist
Mauricio Castañeda	....	foley supervisor
Mick Davies	....	boom operator
Daniel Heusser	....	foley recordist
Martin Seltzer	....	sound editor
Douglas Tourtelot	....	sound mixer
Stacey A. Washer	....	boom operator

Visual Effects by
Ismael Cabrera	....	visual effects supervisor
Nicolás Ibieta	....	visual effects

Stunts
Eddie J. Fernandez	....	stunt double: Fernando Colunga
Toby Holguin	....	stunts
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Eric Robert Bradshaw Bennett	....	electrician
Ryan Bradley	....	key grip
Richard Brush	....	best boy grip
Ryan Copeland	....	electrician
Ryan Copeland	....	second assistant camera
Ryan Copeland	....	set lighting technician
Halsey D. Corbin	....	electrician (as Halsey D. 'Pigpen' Corbin)
Jonathan Cushing	....	set lighting technician
Jorge Devotto	....	second assistant camera
Brian D'Haem	....	electrician
Mikey Jechort	....	first assistant camera
Erwin Landau	....	Steadicam operator
Lincoln Lewis	....	additional gaffer
David McGrory	....	gaffer
Zac Miller	....	grip
Adam Peabody	....	best boy electric
Joe Roach	....	grip
Fulton Singleton	....	dolly grip
Austin Lee Smoak	....	film loader
Chris Updegrave	....	grip

Animation Department
Nicolas Baquero	....	animator
Nicolas Baquero	....	animator: end credits

Casting Department
Ruby Greene	....	casting assistant
Carmen Guzman	....	casting assistant
Alejandra Jimenez	....	casting assistant
Javier Mendoza	....	casting assistant
Eileen Moran	....	casting assistant
Emilie Moran	....	casting assistant
Veronica Ruiz Razcon	....	casting assistant
Hector Zavaleta	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jesse Anderson	....	set costumer

Music Department
Tricia Holloway	....	music supervisor
Keith Robinson	....	composer: additional music
Keith Robinson	....	music editor
Jed Smith	....	additional music services
Zachary Gibson Smith	....	additional music services (as Zack Smith the Blacksmith)
Carl Thiel	....	music recordist

Transportation Department
Bob Cope	....	transportation
Robert Cope	....	transportation
William Cope	....	transportation coordinator
Tim Fagan	....	transportation
Cody Herpin	....	transportation
Ted Mayer	....	transportation

Other crew
Kieron Estrada	....	location scout
Yaniv Fituci	....	production assistant
Ismael Jimenez	....	talent coordinator
Rob Macie	....	dialogue coach
Krocky Meshkin	....	production assistant
Humberto Meza	....	production assistant
Andy Schlachtenhaufen	....	production assistant
Tammy Thomas	....	production assistant
Alicia Zaragoza	....	production coordinator

Thanks
Katie L. Fetting	....	special thanks
Chris Schlerf	....	special thanks
Michael D. Thomson	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Narrow Bridge Films
• Panamax Films

Distributors

• Lionsgate (2007) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Univisión Network (2009) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (Spanish language)

Other Companies

• Betafish Music  additional music courtesy of
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Paws for Effect  animals provided by

Also Known As:

Bandoleros (USA) (working title)
Movidas (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

USA:98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG

Company:

Narrow Bridge Films

Trivia:

Not being telenovela viewers, the English-speaking crew were unfamiliar with the superstar status of the various actors and were often confused by the mobs of Spanish-speaking housewives encroaching upon the set on a daily basis.

Quotes:

Rafaela: [after reject to tailor] Why should I Have To Wear a Dress?
Alejandro Toledo: 'Cause no one of us could fit in it

Character driven caper film exceeds expectation

I don't believe that I need to recap the plot of this movie since other commentators have done so quite clearly. However I would like to expand on three aspects of the film: the casting, comparable movies, and the technical credits.

I'm an Anglo and came across the movie by accident on Amazon.com. As such I was totally unfamiliar with the cast of this movie, most of whom appear to have extensive credits in Hispanic television series. When an actor delivers a good performance you can credit the actor. When all the actors fit their roles you have to credit the casting. Saul Lisazo, as the putative villain Moctesuma Valdez, was impressive. Both of the gang leaders, Miquel Varoni as Emilio Lopez and Fernando Colunga as Alejandro Toledo, were in character. While the latter was billed first, I assume he's better known for his television work, I would say the former was more of a standout in this film. Ruben Garfias was expressive as car jockey Rafa and Ivonne Montero was very dynamic as his motor-head daughter Rafaela. Gabriel Soto brought some charm to the usually thankless role of caper muscle man. Julie Gonzalo was attractive in the role of the nanny Gloria but Sonya Smith had little to do as Mrs. Valdez (apparently she was more actively involved in a sub-plot which was cut from the movies to reduce run time). Oscar Torres as Miguelito, a would be actor, and Jon Molerio as a security guard provide standout comedy relief. Only the computer "nerd" role of Julio Miranda was surprisingly under written given that it was played by JoJo Henrickson, the author of the screen play. It is relatively seldom that all major roles in a film are well cast. It is a high compliment when I say it makes me want to go out and look at the other work of these performers.

Commentators have compared this film to Ocean's Eleven (1960/2001) or the The Sting (1973) in terms of where it was derived from and the style of the caper. I don't know who made the first caper film, with people coming together to stage a heist, but I know it definitively precedes Ocean's Eleven (1960). Without even pausing I can think of Jules Dassin's Rafifi (1955), Stanley Kubrick's The Killing (1956) or John Huston's The Asphalt Jungle (1950). In terms of style I think we must remember that this film was apparently made on a budget of US$900,000 over twenty days. Its simply not going to have the high-technology caper of a big budget Ocean's Eleven (2001). The complexity of the caper is more like that of 1960's television series Mission Impossible or Man From U.N.C.L.E. However the director and writer of this film wisely choose to concentrate on character and social commentary rather than complexity of the caper. This fits better within both the budget and the concept of invisible immigrants staging a caper. Part of the emotional satisfaction with the ending is the social commentary embedded within it.

Technical credits are normally taken for granted but deserve comment in this case. The camera work is particularly impressive, with use of continuous takes as the camera moves amongst the participants in the scene. This style binds the characters together and creates both realism and a sense of activity. I was also impressed with some of the framing of the shots, with the main characters bookending the background events. I don't think I've ever commented on subtitles in a movie. Inevitably one senses that the subtitles you are reading are a poor reflection of what's said in the original language. In this case the English subtitles, I presume by the screen writer JoJo Henrickson, are fluid and fully convey the emotions on the screen. The catchy soundtrack also adds to the professionalism of the credits.