Plot
A biography of the civil-rights activist and labor organizer Cesar Chavez.
Release Year: 2014
Rating: 5.9/10 (154 voted)
Critic's Score: 50/100
Director: Diego Luna
Stars: Michael Peña, America Ferrera, Rosario Dawson
Storyline
Chronicling the birth of a modern American movement, Cesar Chavez tells the story of the famed civil rights leader and labor organizer torn between his duties as a husband and father and his commitment to securing a living wage for farm workers. Passionate but soft-spoken, Chavez embraced non-violence as he battled greed and prejudice in his struggle to bring dignity to people. Chavez inspired millions of Americans from all walks of life who never worked on a farm to fight for social justice. His triumphant journey is a remarkable testament to the power of one individual's ability to change the world.
Writers: Keir Pearson, Timothy J. Sexton
Cast: Kerry Adra -
American Lady
Maynor Alvarado -
Chato Chavez
Yancey Arias -
Gilbert Padilla
Wes Bentley -
Jerry Cohen
Sara Banerjee -
Concerned Mother #1
Liv Boughn -
Concerned Mother #2
Darion Basco -
Larry Itliong
Lisa Brenner -
Jackie Stringer
Duncan Bridgeman -
Anchor
Aldo Ceceña -
Chucho
Michael Cudlitz -
Sherriff Smith
Roger Cudney -
Grower
Rosario Dawson -
Dolores Huerta
America Ferrera -
Helen Chavez
Rodolfo Figueroa -
Mexican Farmer
Cesar Chavez was very warmly received during its North American
Premiere at Austin's SXSW Film where it won one of the audience awards.
Director Diego Luna has done an excellent job in bringing this
important and often poorly understood civil right and labor leader to
life for a new generation. Michael Pena delivers his best acting
performance to date as he really seems to capture the essence of
Chavez. The film is reminiscent of other films about leading social
organizers such as Milk which is also set in California in about the
same time period. The film focuses on the major events of his
organizing including the boycott of grapes which eventually forced the
grape growers to reach an agreement with the United Farm Workers (UFW).
The film also emphasizes his dedication to the cause of non-violence
and his efforts to work across ethnic lines. While all such films are
imperfect vehicles for encapsulating an individual's life, I felt this
one did solid job of capturing the spirit of Cesar Chavez. It also
showed the difficulties his work caused for his family. I think this
film could be very valuable as an educational tool for teaching young
people about the legacy of Cesar Chavez. I hope that it is gains some
popularity with mainstream audiences.
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