Sugar Santos: A Man of His People

Sugar Santos: A Man of His People

Director(s): Anna Bowen and Ryan Fleck
Writer(s): Anna Bowen and Ryan Fleck
Starring: Algenis Perez Soto
 
    Continuing off of Rocky, this film continues to delve into the rich concept of "the American Dream"-- the idea that with hard work and dedication, your dreams will come true. In this film, however, we see some other ideas explored. In the first part of the film, we establish our protagonist named Miguel "Sugar" Santos (Algenis Perez Soto). Miguel and his friends are very passionate about baseball and have dreams of reaching their potential; meanwhile, Miguel has a close bond with his friends and a close relationship with his girlfriend. In this first part of this film, we feel a very positive (sweet) tone projected by humor, happy music, and heartfelt chemistry between our main characters.

    Miguel and his friends go to Phoenix, Arizona to try and make it. The tone from the D.R. part of the film continues here as we still see the chemistry between these likable, down-to-earth characters and their first experience in the United States. Their friend Jorge (Rayniel Rufino) acts as a mentor for Miguel and his buddies, as he has been in the U.S. before; he gives them very insightful advice about hotel pay-per-view. Miguel is then drafted with Jorge to Bridgetown, Iowa (a fictional town) to play for; and things start to change here. What I noticed was an immediate change in tone once he leaves Phoenix, a sense of tension change in the story. Where Miguel goes is a rural (country) town populated with mostly white people. Miguel sees some success, but struggles with learning English, fitting in with most of his teammates, and a relationship with a girl named Ann. On top of that, Jorge is cut from Kansas City and leaves for New York to get a job.

    Miguel becomes so frustrated and out of place that he lets his anger get to him and smashes a water jug, takes performance enhancement drugs which don't help him at all, and leaves for New York where his friend Jorge is. At first, this may appear as an end to his former dreams and a downward spiral into obscurity; however, it is anything but. We see that Miguel has some struggle with work, money, pay for lodging, and has to stay with a woodworker whom he has befriended. In the end, however, he reunites with Jorge and he introduces Miguel to a local Hispanic baseball team. Miguel sees success off the bat (pun intended) and is happy with the place he is in -- that is, with people who relate to him and warmly welcome him.

    One recurring theme in this story is the notion of "your favorite player." When first asked by Brad, Miguel doesn't even know who Babe Ruth ("la chocolate") or Roberto Clemente is! His favorite player is at first a fellow Dominican who represents what Miguel wants to be. Later on, when he looks into Roberto Clemente, Clemente becomes his favorite player -- not because of his ball skills, but because of a quote; the same happens for Miguel's new woodworker friend who at first doesn't have a favorite player, but finds out about a ball player who bravely stood up for civil rights (and doesn't "eat colored people"). The favorite player is not characterized by how good they are at baseball, but rather how they connect with you and what they stand for.