Nicotina (2003)

one of my absolute favorites!

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

As the director Hugo Rodriguez referred the film by Quentin Tarantino at the preview screening at Landmark Sunshine Cinema in New York City (August 18, 2004), this new Mexican film is highly influenced by Pulp Fiction, similar to the producer Martha Sosa Elizondo's previous film Amores Perros. Most Pulp-Fiction-like ingredients--interlocked stories about four groups of people (not nonlinear, though), two gangsters' insignificant conversation on smoking and coincidence, extreme close-ups of objects--are so light that the audience may feel even irritated. Drawing the viewers' attention to a specific happening on a part of the screen with a rectangle is cheesy and redundant; even without it the viewers would look at what the filmmakers want them to watch. The title may be inappropriate as cigarette doesn't have a significant meaning in the plot.

For those moviegoers who enjoyed Guy Richie's Snatch, you definitely will be entertained this Mexican film. This film from the producers of Amores Perros won several Ariels, which is the equivalent of the Oscars. The film has superb performances from Deigo Luna and Rafael Inclan. Basically, the film takes place in Mexico City over a span of an hour and a half. The trouble begins when a computer geek attempts to ruin the romantic tryst of his beautiful neighbor. Unfortunately, he gets caught and in a fit of rage, she burns several computer disks, including one with important codes. This sets off a chain of an unbelievable events that will captivate and entertain the audience. The film is wild. Some of the humor is very Mexican. However, everybody will enjoy this particular film. Some of the characters in this film are completely nuts. Nicotina illustrates what happens to people when they are overcome by greed.

Hugo Rodriguez' "Nicotina" is a fun picture, but it is enough to say that it is a Mexican version of Guy Ritchie's English heist flicks, albeit less so. Less violent, less convoluted, less hilarious. And yet, still violent and convoluted andhilarious enough. So there it is. Diego Luna's in it, and ain't nobody doesn't think he's cute. Rodriguez uses funky wipes as scene transitions, punched up bygoofy sound effects, there's a scene where a bitchy barber's wife cuts open a guy's belly to get at some diamonds. And there's that smoking theme --everybody's quitting, trying to quit, in denial about quitting, can't afford the smokes, can't find any lighter fluid, something. It's a motif and it's a metaphor, though perhaps not the deepest one ever (you never what's gonna kill ya!). It makes for a catchy title, though.

I went to watch this movie because my girlfriend is a fan of Diego Luna. However, i just didnt get excited at any minute of the movie. Its the story of a young hacker in mexico city who steals passwords from swiss banks accounts, and tries to sell them to the russian mob. The story is kind of boring, and the humor is average at best. My recommendation is: dont spend any money watching this in the movies....MAYBE it will be worth the rental price in a few months from now. 2 1/2 out of 5 stars...