What is the price of being an immigrant? That is the biggest issue of the movie Under the Same Moon.* The movie tells the story of Carlitos (Adrian Alonso), son of an undocumented immigrant in Mexico. He lives with his grandmother. His story parallels that of many immigrant kids, not just from Mexico but from Central America as well. His mother, Rosario (Kate del Castillo), works as a maid in two homes, also paralleling the lives of many undocumented immigrant women.

The story takes off after the unfortunate death of Rosario's mother, forcing young Carlitos to take the trip North in search of his mother who lives in Los Angeles. The story is about Carlitos's journey through dangerous and unknown territory. Carlitos crosses the border while hiding in a car, almost being sold to pedophiles and being caught by ICE. Eventually, Carlitos joins Enrique (Eugenio Derbez), another immigrant who takes him under his wing after being indifferent. As a side note, the movie is outdated as of today because they mention immigration authorities as being INS when they should be ICE—INS disappeared on March 1, 2003. Unless the movie is being set in the past, before 2003, immigration enforcement is ICE.

The movie tends to be sappy and sentimental, though it has the acting where it counts. Both Alonsos's and Derbez's acting, while formulaic, are genuine enough to make the audience look past the formula and believe in the characters.

Carlitos and Rosario learn the price of being an immigrant by being separated for 5 years. That is a reality, not a cliché—a reality that many immigrants have to face today. I myself faced this for a period of 2 years, being without a father. The price is the fact that immigrants have to make heartbreaking decisions, tough decisions that truly show that they love be it son, daughter or spouse. They are willing to be separated from their loved ones in order to bring them a better life. It is not because they want to screw over US citizens or because they want to be criminals. They just want a better life for their loved ones. That is the price of being an immigrant.

*La Misma Luna. Warning, the movie is for the most part in Spanish with English subtitles.