Film Review: ‘Cesar Chavez’ is Stiff History of a Heroic Man

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Average: 5 (2 votes)

CHICAGO – How can one man bring down a ruthless industry? By building a union that never backs down, because he never backed down. ‘Cesar Chavez’ depicts the United Farm Workers union organizer in the 1960s who sought justice against virtual slave conditions for immigrant labor, assuring his place in history.

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 3.0/5.0
Rating: 3.0/5.0

The film doesn’t do much for the inner character of Chavez, realized in a contained performance by Michael Peña. It chose to go over the step-by-step history of the core of his vital work over a ten year period. This decision makes the story a bit starchy, and goes over a lot of material in a short amount of time. It provides for the heroism of what Chavez was able to accomplish, but the man himself is not revealed within this accomplishment.

Conditions for the 50,000 farms workers in California during the early 1960s were akin to slavery – workers were imported from Mexico to pick the crop, but wages and living arrangements were stagnant. Organizer Cesar Chavez (Michael Peña) forms a labor union from this situation, the United Farm Workers, and begins the struggle for fairness and reform.

Aided by lieutenants such as Dolores Huerta (Rosario Dawson), Chavez takes his philosophy of nonviolence to the workers, and spearheads some major work stoppages, including the Delano (California) Grape Strike. This boycott on non-union picked grapes lasts five years, and includes violent opposition from the farm owners (represented by John Malkovich in the film) and a hunger strike from Chavez himself, who goes without food for 25 days.

“Cesar Chavez” has a limited release on March 28th. See local listings for theaters and showtimes. Featuring Michael Peña, America Ferrera, Rosario Dawson, John Malkovich and Jack Holmes. Screenplay by Keir Pearson. Directed by Diego Luna. Rated “PG-13”

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Michael Peña
The Title Hero (Michael Peña) in ‘Cesar Chavez’
Photo credit: Pantelion Pictures

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