The Gasoline Thieves

The 2019 Mexican drama film, The Gasoline Thieves (locally known as "Huachicolero"), is an inventive and poignant narrative based on the real-life crisis of fuel theft in Mexico. The film is an impressive feature debut by director Edgar Nito, with production credit to Lizzie Friedman and Greg Little. Revealing the gritty realities of rural Mexico, the film offers an absorbing mixture of social realism, romance, and coming-of-age themes.

The film comes to life as a deeply touching narrative intertwined with a social issue that has plagued Mexico for years. The filmmakers manage to convey the severity of the issue through the eyes of Lalo (Eduardo Banda), a 14-year-old boy who hails from a small, mundane town in the region of Baja, Mexico. Eduardo Banda delivers a robust performance, successfully capturing the naivety, vigor, and desperation of his character, creating a personable and relatable protagonist.

Lalo's life takes a decisive turn when he falls hopelessly in love with Ana (Regina Reynoso), who belongs to a wealthier social class. To win her heart and impress her, he gets embroiled in the illegal and perilous business of fuel theft. It's a desperate, dangerous world, but one that promises immediate financial rewards. This change ultimately defines his transition from a timid boy to a hardened petty criminal, inevitably setting him on a self-destructive path.

Regina Reynoso as Ana brings a nuanced performance that transcends being a mere love interest in the film, lending her character depth and charm. Fernando Becerril, on the other hand, impresses with his portrayal as a key character in the black-market gasoline business, adding an extra layer of tension and complexity to the proceedings.

The film's depiction of fuel stealing—from the actual theft to the black-market selling—is so palpably real and raw, making audiences aware of the grimy underworld operating right beneath the everyday life. The scenes are set against stark, desolate landscapes, highlighting the harshness and solitude of rural Mexico while also reinforcing the pathos of the characters' lives. The narrative is labored with an ominous sense of looming calamity; the audience instinctively senses that the protagonist's pursuit of quick money and love is going to end in tragedy.

Despite the grim themes, The Gasoline Thieves is not devoid of warmth and humanity. The camaraderie between Lalo and his friends and their hopes and dreams reflected in their innocent banter—often seen in scenes where they huddle around bonfires under starlit skies—brings out a sense of innocence and piteous resignation in the face of harsh realities.

In other respects, the movie is ultimately a social critique that powerfully resonates with today's reality in many parts of the world: the vast economic inequality that instigates young people to take risky, sometimes deadly, shortcuts to prosperity. Through its heavy-hitting storyline and compelling performances, the film raises important questions about the societal pressures brought about by financial disparities.

Edgar Nito’s storytelling deserves special mention—he deftly merges fictional narrative with hard-hitting social commentary, without being overly moralistic or preachy. The screenplay threads the right balance between the depiction of the socio-economic conditions spurring the dangerous act and the personal motivations of its characters.

An intriguing aspect of the film is its keen attention to the cultural milieu of rural Mexico. The director does not belabor to romanticize the rural setting or its inhabitants. Instead, he provides an honest and unembellished portrayal of their life, their rustic simplicity, their dreams, despair, and determination.

With Oscar-winning films like Roma and The Shape of Water paving the way for Mexican cinema in recent years, The Gasoline Thieves is a noteworthy addition to this legacy. Though narrated via a local crisis, the themes within the film are universal. This blend of an informed narrative with a poignant love story makes the movie an important contribution to contemporary Mexican cinema and a must-watch for global audiences.

The Gasoline Thieves concludes as a heartrending allegory of contemporary poverty-stricken Mexico, exposing the immense pressure faced by its adolescent population, making decisions that will inevitably determine the course of their lives. This beautifully crafted narrative is a grim reminder that sometimes, desperate love and economic need can force even innocent teenagers into a world of crime, defiance, and ultimately, despair.