The fantastic mid-section and incredible performances from its main acting duo, comprised of Alberto Ammann and Bruna Cusí, are what make this film worth watching in any capacity. Otherwise, the suspense is prematurely blown out and its presentation is too standard.

Elena (Bruna Cusí) and Diego (Alberto Ammann) embark on the next journey of their relationship in the United States after having been granted a green card visa. Their dreams and hopes of a better life are shattered after being stopped in New York for an immigration control before reaching their final destination in Florida. A hidden secret will challenge both their chances of entering the country and their future as a couple.

Starting off with the negatives, the most disappointing element in the movie is its overall presentation. The writing itself, specifically for the scenes taking place during the second act of the film in which the secrets and mysteries are unravelled, is not particularly bad but the hints and resolutions are poorly chosen. For example, from the very beginning of the film, you can sense that something is not right with the character of Diego. His attitude and demeanour give away the fate that awaits the couple too quickly, pointing him as the culprit and diminishing any potential effect of surprise as the story progresses. The other element that could possibly enrage the audience for how it is conceived is the conclusion to the film. Without giving anything away, the truth is that the final punch/twist selected by the writers and directors Alejandro Rojas and Juan Sebastián Velasquez renders the emotional ride we have been on throughout the slightly over one-hour runtime of the film worthless.

So, as we can see, it is the two ends of the thread that make this picture not entirely well put together. But, what undoubtedly works, as previously mentioned, is the actual bulk of the film. That is the section in which our couple is getting interrogated by the immigration officers on the true intent of their entry to the US, particularly when the two get separated to be individually questioned.

During these segments is when the great acting from both Ammann and Cusí comes to shine. Even during their scenes together you can feel that there is great chemistry between the two, but it is when the focus is specifically on them that we get to see how well Ammann plays with the nervousness and uneasiness of his character, and Cusí with her rage and disappointment. Particularly, for Ammann the way he acts in the moment during which he is left alone in the interrogation room, and for Cusí how she crumbles during the abusive investigation that is thrown at her are surely the highlights of the film. It is also during this latter section, in which it seems that the directors and cinematographer (also Juan Sebastián Vasquez) put their full attention and effort in the way the tension of the film was also presented not only in a literary and acting fashion but also visually, making evident that the way the shots were being crafted were trying to highlight Cusí’s growing angst.

All in all, we find ourselves with a film that is not actually bad, and considering its length it obviously moves along pretty quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, it just feels a little bit like the gift bought has been very well thought out and worked on (the core of the story) but the paper in which it has been wrapped and the way the bow has been tied (start and end to the film) is sloppy, rushed and careless, making for an incredibly disenchanting present.