Every so often I like to watch a film that I have never heard of and know nothing about. Chop Shop is a story of a N.Y. kid Alejandro who is living on his own, hustling and working any way he can to earn money. He lives upstairs in an auto repair shop on junkyard row, earning his place by working for the owner. He sells DVD's, candy, steals hub caps and anything else he can do to earn money. But he is more than just a survivor. Alejandro has big plans for himself and his sister and has no intention of working for others for his entire life. As we watch the story unfold, I realized that this is a classic slow movie, while still being completely engaging throughout. The daily life of Alejandro and the people who surround him is a fascinating mixture of desperate survival and enjoying life among friends. These "regular life" scenes are not flashy or overly dramatic. Instead, I feel like I have a better understanding of the trials of Alejandro and how he views his life, both the good and the bad.
4-stars
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