Out of Exile

WHEN THIS FILM STARTED, I THOUGHT I WOULD LIKE IT BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE MAIN CHARACTER, GABE, REALLY WANTED TO TURN HIS LIFE AROUND- AND I REALLY GOT THAT IMPRESSION WHEN I SAW HIM IN THE SCENE IN THE RESTAURANT WITH HIS ESTRANGED DAUGHTER, DAWN (ESPECIALLY WHEN HE QUESTIONS HER ABOUT THE ABUSE THAT SHE IS RECEIVING FROM HER BOYFRIEND). BUT THINGS REALLY STARTED TO GET PROBLEMATIC WHEN HE EMBARKS ON AN ARMORED CAR ROBBERY WITH HIS EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED BROTHER, AND AN UNDOCUMENTED WORKER NAMED HECTOR. AND THE FILM TOOK AN EVEN WORSE TURN WHEN HIS BROTHER SHOOTS A SECURITY GUARD, AND TRIES TO JUSTIFY IT BY SAYING THAT HIS MILITARY TRAINING TAUGHT HIM TO SHOOT ANYONE WHO COMES AT YOU WITH A GUN (I DON'T THINK TOO MANY REAL-LIFE WAR VETERANS WILL APPRECIATE HEARING THIS JUSTIFICATION). AND, EVEN AFTER THE SECURITY GUARD DIES FROM HIS WOUNDS, GABE AND THE OTHER TWO MEN STILL EMBARK ON ANOTHER ROBBERY. THE SCENES BETWEEN HECTOR AND HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN WERE TOUCHING, BUT THEY BECOME DISTURBING WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT THE SECURITY GUARD ALSO HAD A FAMILY, AND AN EVEN MORE DISTURBING NOTE WAS MADE WHEN HECTOR TRIED TO JUSTIFY HIS PARTICIPATION IN THE ROBBERIES BY SAYING THAT HE WANTED TO CREATE A BETTER LIFE FOR HIS FAMILY. (PERHAPS HE SHOULD HAVE TRIED TALKING TO ALL THE UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS WHO WORK LONG HOURS AT DECENT JOBS- OFTENTIMES FOR LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGE- TO CREATE BETTER LIVES FOR THEIR FAMILIES). I WAS HAPPY THAT THE FBI AGENTS WERE DEPICTED IN A POSITIVE LIGHT, BUT I WASN'T TOO HAPPY WHEN THE MAIN FBI AGENT, AGENT SWENSON, PUNCHED OUT A LOCAL POLICE OFFICIAL FOR OVERSTEPPING HIS AUTHORITY. WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE FACT THAT THERE IS SUCH A LARGE EPIDEMIC VIOLENCE AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS, THE LAST THING THAT ANYONE SHOULD ENCOURAGE IS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ATTACKING EACH OTHER.