I just saw this on HBO in the US tonight. this film grabs you and pulls you along. the cinematography is competent and in no way flashy. but you feel like you are there. you can really empathize with the main character Santiago. this film simply rings true in all its aspects. this is one of the best movies I have seen in years. I don't know much about the actor who portrays Santiago (whether is very brilliant or brilliantly typecast) because I have not seen him in anything else. his performance in this movie was just excellent. frankly there were no weak performances from my perspective. Sounds like I really loved this movie doesn't it? I did.<br /><br />PS: this will quickly be dated but if you are hooked up to adelphia/comcast cable in the US they are listing this movie inexplicably/erroneously as "a day without Mexicans"