As someone who navigated the complex immigration system in the US, this movie was an easy sell. Julio Torres’s whimsicalness and Tilda Swinton’s humorous character were plus. But I was pleasantly surprised that this movie was more than that. It was a story about Alejandro and Elisabeth, who appeared to be diametrically opposed, but in reality inspirational and caring to each other.

Elisabeth is a person who survived hardship and became an aggressive monster who would attack almost anything that is on her way (and she is grieving too due to the loss of her loved one). On the other hand, Alejandro is someone who started his adventure in a foreign land with his naivety and some hope. The movie shows how Alejandro becomes able to tame Elisabeth and how in return she teaches him how to show teeth when needed. As an immigrant, Alejandro showed don’t-rock-the-boat mentality and Elisabeth, regardless of her occasional mean-spiritedness, taught him how to survive better.