Radical

Mexican cast led by star Eugenio Derbez, who's also one of the movie's producers. Director-screenwriter Christopher Zalla was born in Kenya and raised internationally and is fluent in Spanish. Shows how traditional gender roles and economic deprivation perpetuate poverty: A 12-year-old girl must drop out of school and take care of her siblings so that her parents can work long hours. Most male characters are empathetic, and impoverished people are treated with respect and dignity, moving away from negative stereotypes. One of the sixth graders, Paloma, is a shy girl who feels underappreciated and judged because she lives next to the dump, but she's actually very smart (perhaps a genius).

Mexican city of Matamoros is portrayed as a violent, almost militarized place because of drug trafficking. Gunfights are heard, bodies of gunshot victims with blood are briefly seen in the streets; some are covered with sheets. In one confrontation, a child is killed, although this isn't shown on-screen. Drug trafficking involving minors. A villain asks a girl whether she's a virgin and tries to kidnap her, but others try to defend her and don't let it happen.

A boy around 12 years old is interested in his schoolmate and asks his teacher how to get her to notice him. The teacher tells him that it's up to him to show interest in the things that matter to the girl. She gives him a kiss on the cheek. A man wearing shorts without a shirt takes a plunge in a water tank.

Spanish words/expressions are translated in English subtitles (for U.S. release) as "damn," "f---ing," "s--t," "fat ass," "shut up." A student says her classmate "smells like garbage."

Two adults drink a beer while talking.