Chop Shop

Ramin Bahrani
(84’, USA)
****

A riveting piece of American naturalism, Ramin Bahrani’s Chop Shop depicts a New York rarely seen on-screen, with a sensitivity equally as uncommon. Taking place entirely in a gritty warren of auto body shops in the shadow of Shea Stadium—a section of Queens dubbed the “Iron Triangle”—the film follows the efforts of 12-year-old orphan Alejandro (Alejandro Polanco) to make a better life for himself and his beloved 16-year-old sister. Working and living in one repair shop, Alejandro never stops hustling—when the shop closes for the night he hawks bootleg DVDs and stolen hubcaps. Bahrani, a disciple of the great Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, packs the film with precise and unexpected detail and avoids cliché at every turn. And he receives extraordinary support from newcomer Polanco—his charming and surprising performance is stunning. (JM)

Originally published September 2007

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