Watch Culture Shock
- TV-MA
- 2019
- 1 hr 31 min
-
5.8 (1,810)
Culture Shock is a powerful and poignant movie that tells the story of a young Latina woman named Marisol (played by the talented Martha Higareda) who is desperately seeking a better life for herself and her unborn child. Living in Mexico, Marisol hears about the American dream from her friends and decides to cross the border illegally to start a new life.
However, what she finds when she finally makes it to the United States is not what she expected. In fact, it is a living nightmare. Separated from the only friend she made on the journey, Marisol is taken to what she thinks is a border town in California. But what she quickly realizes is that everything around her seems too perfect and too controlled, with the people acting like they are in a 1950s utopia.
Marisol is confused and scared, but she is convinced that everything will be alright if she just follows the rules. However, as she begins to unravel the mysteries of this strange town, she discovers a terrible truth: she is not in the United States at all. She has been kidnapped and taken to a small town in Mexico designed to look like America. It is a place where the poor are lured with promises of a better life, only to be used for experimental purposes by a fascist government.
As Marisol begins to uncover the dark secrets of this town, she realizes that she has to fight back in order to escape. She teams up with a few other residents of the town, including a local boy named Ricky (played by Richard Cabral), and a mysterious older woman named Betty Lou (played by the incredible Barbara Crampton). Together, they try to make their way out of the town and back to the real world.
Culture Shock is a movie that deals with some very serious issues, including immigration, racism, and the abuse of power. However, it is also a movie that manages to do so in a way that is both thrilling and entertaining. The pacing is excellent, with just the right balance of action and suspense to keep the audience engaged throughout.
One of the strengths of the movie is its cast. Martha Higareda is fantastic as Marisol, bringing depth and complexity to a character who could have easily been a one-dimensional victim. Richard Cabral is equally impressive as Ricky, adding a sense of heart and humor to the proceedings. And Barbara Crampton steals every scene she is in as the enigmatic Betty Lou, injecting the movie with just the right amount of mystery and intrigue.
Another strength of Culture Shock is its direction. Director and co-writer Gigi Saul Guerrero manages to balance the film's various elements with skill and precision. She never lets the message of the movie overpower the story, and she never allows the action to distract from the deeper themes at play. Guerrero has a real talent for creating tension and suspense, and she uses it to great effect throughout the movie.
Overall, Culture Shock is a powerful, thought-provoking, and entertaining movie that deserves to be seen by as many people as possible. It is a film that tackles serious issues in a way that is accessible and engaging, and it features performances that are sure to leave a lasting impression. If you're looking for a movie that will make you think, make you feel, and keep you on the edge of your seat, then Culture Shock is definitely worth checking out.
Culture Shock is a 2019 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 31 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.8.