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A14 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 21 January 2021
Review: A showdown at the border in ‘No Man’s Land’

By LINDSEY BAHR Texas-born siblings want-
AP Film Writer ed to make a film about
Border tensions are boiled hope, even as “the world
down to two families in “ No is growing apart” and “xe-
Man’s Land,” an uneven nophobia and prejudice
independent thriller with are abundant,” the direc-
some redeeming qualities. tor wrote in a statement.
Its heart, and homages to And indeed, “No Man’s
classic Westerns, are in the Land” is less about revenge
right place even if the work than it is about empathy
as a whole is neither as im- and atonement, but I’m
pactful nor epic as the film- not sure Jackson was the
makers were striving for. best point of focus. He is
The film sets up two fami- a nice-looking kid with a
lies on either side of the lot to learn, but also a little
border. The Greers are dim-witted and dull. He is
American ranchers whose neither hero nor anti-hero,
property exists in no man’s he’s just a victim of the in-
land, north of the Rio creasingly improbable and
Grande but south of the sometimes downright silly
fences. The Mexican fam- plot.
ily — they don’t get a last As far as the performances
name — are just hoping to go, the most compelling
start a new life in America. This image released by IFC Films shows, from second left, George Lopez, Frank Grillo, Andie ones are from Lopez and
But they have misfortune to McDowell and Jake Allyn in a scene from “No Man’s Land.” Jimenez, who don’t get
cross through the Greers’ Associated Press nearly enough to do. The
on a night that they’ve de- English. The shouting con- also somehow does not the point of intolerance. story would have benefit-
cided to patrol their lands. tinues and things go south speak Spanish, suspects the On his journey to nowhere, ted from a little more Gus-
They’ve been frustrated quickly when the other son, cover up. When he comes Jackson gets a lot of char- tavo and a little less Jack-
that their cattle keep get- Jackson (Jake Allyn), dash- to arrest him, Jackson and ity from strangers including son.
ting out when their fences es into the situation to help his horse Sundance flee a wealthy rancher with a Conor Allyn is clearly a tal-
are cut. and ends up shooting and across the Rio Grande. stunning daughter (Esmer- ented director and has
And about 30 minutes in, killing Gustavo’s young son For a kid who has grown up alda Pimentel) who let him a lot of reverence for the
things come to a head in Fernando (Alessio Valenti- on a small ranch, Jackson is stay and work for a while. Western genre, but for as
a tense showdown in the ni) in the chaos. Lucas also shockingly inept at survival And he starts to realize good and lofty as it’s inten-
middle of the night. Bill gets shot. skills, drinking stagnant wa- that his neighbors across tions are, “No Man’s Land”
Greer (Frank Grillo) and It’s a fine set-up as Jack- ter, being a little too trusting the border are people too comes up short.
his son Lucas (Alex Mac- son is the son who is sup- of everyone he encounters and not nuisances to shoo “No Man’s Land,” an IFC
Nicoll) have their guns posed to get out. He’s and sleeping in random away with guns and hate. Films release in select the-
drawn on the family, who been recruited to play barns along the way. It’s Oh and he’s also being aters Jan. 22, is rated PG-
are unarmed and pan- minor league baseball in also somewhat hard to be- hunted by Gustavo and 13 by the Motion Picture
icked. The Greers speak no New York. His father is pre- lieve that he has not in his a local tough Luis (Andres Association of America for
Spanish and don’t seem pared to take the blame, 20 some years picked up Delgado). “some strong violence and
all that interested in the but Ramirez (George Lo- even one word of Spanish, “No Man’s Land” was writ- language.” Running time:
fact that Gustavo (Jorge pez), the Texas Ranger who but perhaps the filmmakers ten by Allyn and directed 114 minutes. Two stars out
A. Jimenez) speaks perfect stumbles on the scene who are just trying to belabor by his brother Conor. The of four.q

Music stars slam UK’s ‘shameful’ failure on EU touring rules

British government, which visas for stays of up to 90 as a cultural powerhouse.
has left them facing post- days, and some short busi- The musicians’ letter said
Brexit restrictions on touring ness trips are also allowed. the new expense and bu-
in the European Union. But artists and musicians reaucracy will make “many
In a letter published have not been included in tours unviable, especially
Wednesday in the Times of the deal. for young emerging mu-
London, more than 100 mu- Britain and the EU disagree sicians who are already
sicians including Sting, Pink about who is to blame for struggling to keep their
Floyd’s Roger Waters and the omission, each accus- heads above water owing
Roger Daltrey of The Who, ing the other of rejecting a to the COVID ban on live
along with the heads of deal for touring artists. music.”q
major arts institutions, said The new rules mean U.K.
the new U.K.-EU trade deal performers have to comply 2 8 3 4 7 1 6 9 5
In this Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020 file photo, Elton John performs “(I’m that took effect Jan. 1 has with differing rules in the 27 6 9 7 2 5 8 1 3 4
Gonna) Love Me Again” nominated for the award for best “a gaping hole where the EU nations, negotiating vi- 4 5 1 9 3 6 2 8 7
original song from “Rocketman” at the Oscars, at the Dolby promised free movement sas for musicians and per- 1 7 9 3 6 5 4 2 8
Theatre in Los Angeles. for musicians should be.” mits for their equipment.
Associated Press Britain’s departure from the Many say the costs and red 8 4 2 1 9 7 5 6 3 2021 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
5 3 6 8 4 2 7 1 9
By JILL LAWLESS ton John, Ed Sheeran and EU means that U.K. citizens tape will make it impossible 9 6 4 7 2 3 8 5 1
Associated Press conductor Simon Rattle can no longer live and for British artists to perform 7 1 5 6 8 9 3 4 2
LONDON (AP) — Dozens of say musicians have been work freely in the 27-nation on the continent, endan-
3 2 8 5 1 4 9 7 6
U.K. music stars including El- “shamefully failed” by the bloc. Tourists do not need gering the country’s status Difficulty Level 1/21