Sundance 2024

Sujo, directed by Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez, offers a compelling look into the generational cycles of crime and violence. The film tells the story of Sujo, a young boy whose life seems to follow a path his father carved out long before him—a path that is treacherous, inevitable, and perhaps inescapable. Through a multi-perspective narrative, Rondero and Valadez craft a powerful meditation on the intersection of fate, environment, and personal choices, exploring the idea that the weight of one's lineage can be suffocating.

The film's structure is built around chapters, with each chapter offering a distinct point of view from different characters: Sujo's father, his auntie, his cousins, his teacher, and, finally, Sujo himself. Each perspective adds depth to the narrative, and the film jumps forward in time with each chapter, representing different periods in Sujo's life. This structural decision weaves together a story about Sujo and the people around him who influence and are affected by the trajectory of his life.

Early in the film, we see Sujo's father caught up in a world of crime, and it's not long before his life is cut short. This sets the tone for the sense of inevitability that permeates the film. Despite the best efforts of some of the people in Sujo's life—his auntie's desperate attempts to pull him away from the violence and his teacher's efforts to instill values and education—the pull of the streets feels too strong, too ingrained. There's a haunting suggestion that this is a life Sujo was destined for, that crime runs in his bloodline. The film makes you wonder whether Sujo ever truly had a choice, or if his fate was sealed the moment his father met his own violent end.

What Sujo does particularly well is showcase the unrelenting pressure of family and environment. The scenes with Sujo's cousins are especially striking as we witness how peer pressure and familial loyalty can steer even the most promising young minds into darkness. There's a bleak inevitability to each chapter, a sense that no matter how hard some characters fight to alter Sujo's course, the weight of his father's legacy looms too large.

Visually, the film excels in its use of harsh, desolate landscapes, which mirror the emotional barrenness of Sujo's world. The quiet, observational style allows tension to build subtly, making each violent outburst feel shocking and inevitable.

While Sujo is undoubtedly engaging, it presents a stark, sobering perspective on the inevitability of crime. The film's depiction of crime as a seemingly inherited fate, with life's outcomes feeling predetermined, leaves a lasting impression, powerfully illustrating the struggle to break free from the shadows of one's past.

— 3.5 / 5 ⭐