Upon Entry Review – Immigration Dramatic Comedy Delivers Heightened Suspense

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Category: Indies, Docs, Foreign Film

Published on Friday, 26 January 2024 13:26

Written by Janet Walker

Upon Entry, from AC Independent, brings to the screen a deeply underrated dramady thriller that showcases the process of what many foreigners go through when they immigrate to the United States, even with a visa.

The film begins in Barcelona, Spain, and Elena, played by Bruna Cusi, and her partner, Diego, played by Alberto Ammann, are preparing to leave for the United States. She is on the phone giving her last goodbyes to those she loves. It is clear this is more than a vacation.

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Soon they are arriving in the United States, and the flight attendant is passing out declaration forms. They believe they have nothing to declare so they let it go. Arriving at JFK in New York City they stare at the Customs Agents and try to gauge which one is friendlier than the others.

When they reach the window, they are put through the typical entry process, passports, and fingerprints, and as they believe all is well, they begin to question the process. Soon, the agent instructs Elena and Diego to follow him, and they are taken to a waiting room. There are other immigrants there as well. When they try to gather some information, the only thing they understand is the person beside them has been waiting three hours.

They approach the Customs and Border Control desk, the agent, played by David Comrie, tells them to return to their seats. Soon they are taken to an interrogation room. With no idea of the amount of time it takes to process passengers through TSA at JFK, Diego believed he had time to visit his cousin who lives in New York and planned for him to meet them outside the airport.

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Soon a Border Control Agent Vasquez, played by Laura Gomez, enters the room with an officer. The couple are told to open their luggage for another search, turn off their phones and place them back inside the luggage and wait.

She begins to question the couple, initially the questions center on the proper documentation, the financials, immunizations records, visa, passports, and other necessary paperwork, any person entering the country legally must have. The questions become more pressing, and name asks name, in Spanish, how long will she keep this up, and the Agent Vasquez, who also is fluent in Spanish, replies in Spanish "as long as necessary."

The tension continues to build as Agent Vasquez initiates the next level of questioning. With additional information and additional passports, the questioning becomes more intimate and begins to paint a darker picture of the couple’s relationship.

Elena, who is the sole winner, of the Visa lottery program and has already cleared customs and is free to go, we understand was unaware of Diego’s desperate past attempts to enter the United States, so much so that he had a previous online relationship with an immigrant in Miami which led to an engagement. The couple’s destination is also Miami. Although he broke it off, we see how the Border Control agent begins to weave a possible web of deception which causes Elena to question if he loved her or was using her to gain entry.

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Diego is left alone in the interrogation room and opens his bag and attempts to make a phone call. They have no cell service, so he doesn’t turn the phone back off, and begins to look through the Agent’s file. The phone rings, and he drops the file of documents on the floor, and he can hear them at the door. The phone stops ringing, he is able to get the folder back on the table, barely.

This leads to a surprise, and for some, a comedic ending for this couple.

Upon Entry, is a gripping thriller with a comedic ending, and is nominated for an Independent Spirit Best First Feature award for directors, Alejandro Rojas, and Juan Sebastian Vasquez.

Upon Entry, incrementally intensifies the process of immigration, each step delivering heightened suspense, breaking down the façades, beliefs, and even deep diving with an acute accuracy. The actors, the couple, and the agents, embody their roles, with resonating authenticity.

Upon Entry is playing in select markets in the United States. It is a sleeper hit. See it.

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Country: Spain.

Runtime: 77 minutes.

Language: English, Spanish with English Subtitles.

Director: Alejandro Rojas, Juan Sebastian Vasquez.

Producer: Sergio Adria, Carlos Juarez, Alba Sotorra, Carles Torras, Xose Zapata.

Cast: Alberto Ammann, Bruna Cusi, Ben Temple, Laura Gomez, Gerard Oms, Colin Morgan, David Comrie, Kotomi Nishiwaki.