Coyote

My favorite films are those that draw us into another reality. Coyote transports us to the American/Mexican border, where "coyotes", or organizers of illegal aliens crossing to the U.S., brazenly escort the desperate through the hot desert.

Coyote is the brainchild of Brian Petersen, who writes, directs, and plays the major role in the film. Brian plays Steve, a seemingly well-educated, decent fellow who can't get a job...and discovers that he can be a good samaritan by bringing illegals across the border in style: with water bottles, hats, respect, and a can-do attitude. He hugs the folks and bids them well as they enter the U.S. amid cactus and sagebrush.

With his best friend Jay, who is bi-lingual in Spanish, Steve seems to be a good guy doing a good deed for a good fee...until the bad Mexicans, the cartels, who control the desert crossings, get peeved that the two have moved in on their territory.

No spoiler, but suffice it to say that the film is a powerhouse. Will Steve and Jay continue to live the good life and fool themselves into thinking they're not really doing anything illegal? Will the cartels do them in? Will their girlfriends hang in there with them?

Whether the viewer is liberal or conservative re illegal immigration, the film presents the daunting, scary world of illegal crossers in graphic detail.

A stunning, powerful portrait of a world we can only imagine.