Quincinera
August 28, 2006
3 stars
A lovely little low-budget film about gentrification of LA's Echo Park, made by a pair of gay filmmakers who say they drew much of the material from observation. It's ostensibly about a young girl's Quinceañera (15th birthday party), but it is really about fitting in, being squeezed out, truth, honor, teenage love, teenage sex, and the beauty hidden away in urban corners. The mood swings between joy, sorrow, rage and acceptance are handled well, and make this a lovely little entertainment.