We Are What We Are (2010)

A relatively fresh take on a genre that has to be tread upon with care and with the threat of great peril in mind. 'We are What We Are' is the portrayal of a dysfunctional family. However the representation of it is amplified, with much intensity as the film rolls closer to its end. It is an interesting watch however, it keeps the secrets to itself. I am hoping the director intended to be it like that.I'm confused, really. It's one of those films where you cannot figure if it's a plain and straight, mediocre narrative (with some great sequences) or maybe you missed out on some key plot contrivance and hence missed 'the point'. For Instance the back-story of 'Jug Face (2013)' was in the opening credits, sort of like hand-drawn stop-motion short. Anyhow, Hollywood is about to release a re-make; let's see how they tackle the dinner matter. Watch it, if only to let me know the 'what'

I guess this is a film that will ultimately appeal and be enjoyed by a limited audience. Dark, grim, nihilistic and amoral, it's no feel good movie and has no redemption story either.We are watching a dysfunctional family in Mexico in the days following the death of their patriarch. At a loss from his passing, the family is desperate to know how to proceed. The problem? They are cannibals and need to formally complete a ritual in the coming day. So where do they get the body? Who is to be responsible for carrying on the family leadership? The mother is impossible, the sons are difficult and the daughter is the youngest and not one that the rest seem to address.Add in immoral cops and hell-bent prostitutes, and you've an unsettling mix.The setting in a poor Mexican estate gives the whole film a dark and grim feel. The camera work is good, but it's the soundtrack which is what makes this work. Okay the acting and story are good but not always gripping. The film is trying to avoid being too gruesome and the body count is kept minimal for a horror, which is nice for a change.The biggest problem is that as much as it's interesting, not sure if the whole idea really stretched out to be a full film (it was quite short as it was). Just needed some more work on the script and more explanation of what was going on and any motives. Just felt I didn't know what was going on too often which was frustrating.For horror, it's a different twist as cannibal films are usually full on but this isn't and thankfully not another cheap shot of torture porn. Worth it if you like horror films, but won't appeal much to most else.

I started out not enjoying this at all, wondering when the cannibals were going to appear. Things happened, characters were introduced and developed, slowly it became clear what the film was really about. The title says it all, and tells the story of the various 'types' quite well considering it's constrained in the normal film running time. Hapless brother ashamed of his homosexuality is forced to take over the household when his father dies. Things go bad, his violent brother is always flying off the hook making the wrong impulsive decisions. Misery of a mother always complaining, the only intelligent character seems to be the cunning sister with her facade of innocence. The 'useless cops' don't shed their spots either. Everyone acts in character to the bitter end, and there are many bitter ends in this one! (mostly with a shovel) It is refreshing to see people behave true to their personalities, and to me this is the whole point of the film. Yes it's about cannibals, but that's not really the point. I even liked the ending.

I can't say whether i liked or disliked "We are what we are". It certainly is interesting , without being spectacular and the acting was pretty good but i could not help feeling that we needed to know the background of this very odd family. Why did they eat people? Why did they have to do the ritual? Why was the father poisoned? To many question and not enough answers for my liking yet it wasn't half as bad as some reviews say it is. It is a grim film. You could even say depressing but that is not criticism because that is the type of film it is.One other thing ,If you go into this film thinking it is a horror you might be a little disappointed.