Sugar, Sugar

Sugar

Directors: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

Writers: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

Stars: Algenis Perez Soto, Jose Rijo, Walki Cuevas 

At first glance, Sugar, seems to be just another typical sports movie. Based in the Dominican Republic, the movie follows a teenage boy, Miguel Santos, or Sugar. Very quickly I realized that the story behind the film is deeper than the surface. Sugar relies on his talent as a baseball player to provide for his family. His father is deceased and the families only hope is him. That's a lot of pressure on a teenager. At only nineteen, Sugar came to the United States to further his baseball career. Not only does he struggle with being away from home, but also with the fact that he has to adjust to a new country. He had a hard time fitting in. I think everyone could recall feeling like they don't quite fit in well, thus making the film relateable in a sense. It also shows us the reality of immigration in America and why most people immigrate. They just want better, like Miguel did for his family.

           Soon after Miguel arrived in the states, he became injured, lost a friend, and was alone. Imagine what he was feeling at this point. He had a family back home to support and he was injured and feeling utterly useless. This was a smart decision to incorporate the internal struggle Sugar had with himself. At this point, he wasn't just another baseball player. He was a human being with feelings. Sometimes we dehumanize people and forget they have emotions, especially males in our society. Soon after, Sugar was back on his feet and doing what he needed to do in order to make ends meet for his family back home. He got a job at a restaurant and went on a journey of self discovery being that after his injury, he lost all confidence and ambition. He even joined a league full of people like him and found his new home, as well as himself. 

         I think this was an okay movie. It definitely isn't one I'd re watch during leisure time or rave about, but for what its worth, its okay. The story it told was heartfelt, yet didn't quite captivate me as an action film or comedy would. If you want to see a movie about overcoming obstacles and finding yourself, then Sugar is the one for you.