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Cesar Chavez tells the story of the famed Hispanic civil rights activist. Determined to improve the lives of his fellow farm workers, Cesar and fellow activist Dolores Huerta founded the National Farm Workers Association in the 60’s (later changed to the United Farm Workers union), which focused on securing fair wages through focused yet nonviolent actions. He was determined, aggressive and passionate. Unlike the film retelling his life, though, he never played it safe.
Making a biography about someone as important to a movement as Cesar Chavez is a daunting task. Director Diego Luna has an obvious love and respect for all that Chavez had accomplished, demonstrated by the length behind the scenes he has worked to bring his story to the screen. Unfortunately, Luna spends so much time idolizing Chavez’ accomplishments, he forgets to visualize this passion on the screen.
As the titular character, Michael Pena does a fine job embodying the fire of a man desperate to change his people’s lot in life. Pena showcases a presence here that he has honestly never had the opportunity to demonstrate before. Unlike most biographies, Pena approaches the character, the man, as someone to admire. Never quick to temperament, as strong with his words as he is with his convictions, there is little doubt that Pena was the right man for this job. With quiet reserve, his Chavez goes about changing the Hispanic landscape and you come to believe this is a man you could easily follow to the ends of the winery.
While Pena does exemplary work, as does America Ferrera as Chavez’s equally determined wife Helen, the rest of the cast are relegated to bit parts and stereotypes. Rosario Dawson, who plays the aforementioned Dolores Huerta, is virtually wasted here as her story is given little to no credence in the film. Even in a film titled Cesar Chavez, to shortchange such an equally important person in the movement (not to mention relevant to this particular story) is a complete disservice to the entirety of the film and to the woman herself.
The film is full of recognizable character actors (Wes Bentley, Kevin Dunn) whom offer the most they can with the little depth their characters are given. The lone exception is John Malkovich as Bogdanovich Sr., a farm owner shown here as one of the main opponents to Chavez’ efforts. Malkovich is a stellar actor, yet his Bogdanovich is written here as a blatant one-note racist ‘villain’, a stereotypical mustache twirler. While this may entertain you, for a film based on a true story, it is hard to truly despise the man as he has no other attributes and is therefore a caricature. Biographies, more than any other style of film, need that dose of realism to ensure their audience relates to them. You will sympathize with Cesar and you will loathe Bogdanovich. What this type of character writing does, though, is it removes the POWER of the story. By not having a living breathing character going against Chavez, and then placing Cesar into hero worship status as Luna does here, it is hard to feel anything other than manipulated by the ending reel.
That is not to say Cesar Chavez is a bad film, this is a solidly enjoyable biography. The simple fact is that you just will not be presented with many of the man’s flaws and that is what makes a biography compelling, riveting. Other than a strained relationship with his son (which by the end of the film you will see even THAT as hero worship), Luna’s presentation of Chavez is that of an infallible man, fighting the endless good fight against the privileged whites. This take on the material simply makes the film more pedestrian and by-the-numbers than a story this powerful should have.
Diego Luna is a director to watch. Though he has not quite found his voice yet, he has enough passion and talent to make it worth keeping an eye on this young director. Even in a film failing to reach the lofty achievements of its namesake, there is still much to learn and enjoy here. It is also an important film for Hispanic audiences, to many this is their Martin Luther King, Jr. and, for the most part, he is fairly represented here. Hopefully this film will inspire you to learn more about the man behind the film’s myth. and especially the story behind the film. That is the best compliment a film like this should ever aspire to.
If $10 is the full price of admission, Cesar Chavez is worth $5.50
Aaron Peterson
The Hollywood Outsider
A SXSW film review