Raising Victor Vargas (2003)

Raising Victor Vargas (2003)

A forgotten masterpiece about growing up Latino in the Lower East Side

8.0

Movie

United States of America
English, Spanish
Drama, Romance
2003
PETER SOLLETT
Donna Maldonado, Jeff Knite, Judy Marte
88 min

What it's about

Victor, a Lower East Side teenager, as he deals with his eccentric family, including his strict grandmother, his bratty sister, and a younger brother who completely idolizes him. Along the way he tries to win the affections of Judy, who is very careful and calculating when it comes to how she deals with men.

The take

This small-scale but incredibly fun 88-minute drama from 2003 is about a group of Latino teenagers who grow up in New York’s Lower East Side.

Victor lives with his eccentric grandmother, which sometimes gets in the way of him pursuing Judy, his dream girl.

The actor who plays Victor is called Victor Rasuk, the one who plays Judy is called Judy Marte. This is a film so personal that both main characters needed to be named after the actors who play them.

Active Streaming Deals

$50 Off DirecTV Stream

$74.99

$64.99

Active Streaming Deals

69% Off NordVPN + 3 months Free

$14.99

$4.99

Active Streaming Deals

50% Off Sling

$40

$20

Active Streaming Deals

49% Off ExpressVPN

$12.95

$6.67

Comments

Such a great hidden gem.

Add a comment

What did you think? Who should watch it?

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

In the Heights (2021)

A rousing modern musical and a vibrant celebration of Latino culture

7.9

Last Call for Istanbul (2023)

A seemingly generic Turkish romance travel film, until it gets into its second half

7.0

Forgotten Love (2023)

The stunning third take of the classic Polish pre-war melodrama

7.7

Leo (2023)

A modest animated offering that's better at being an absurd comedy than a musical

7.1

Murina (2022)

A gripping slow burn of a coming-of-age tale set on the gorgeous Croatian coast

8.3

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

A star-studded and riveting legal drama with a blockbuster feel.

9.1

The Guilty (2018)

A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.

9.0

Nightmare Alley (2021)

A psychological thriller of the highest quality, masked as an adult fairytale, by the great Guillermo del Toro

9.0

Frybread Face and Me (2023)

A gorgeous and tender coming-of-age addition to the Indigenous New Wave

8.0

A Deadly Invitation (2023)

A Mexican whodunit that feels more like an infodump than a compelling murder mystery

5.5

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2023 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.