Written, directed and produced by Augustus Meleo Bernstein, At the Gates is a drama turned thriller when a wealthy family has a change, and this is creating some changes in their economic status. Marianne Barris (Miranda Otto) has had domestic help for what seems to be a very long time, with Ana (Vanessa Benavente) as her most current employee. On the day that Ana takes her teenage son Nico (Ezekiel Pacheco) to work with her, Marianne along with her husband, lawyer Peter Barris (Noah Wyle) delivers some news. Nico is preparing to attend college with help from his school’s administration, so although Ana is bilingual, Nico is more fluent and aware of rights and surroundings after coming to the US from El Salvador when he was a baby, escaping violence. The Barris family has two children, teenage daughter Lauren (Sadie Stanley) and an elementary age son Oliver (Jack Eyman).
The performances are all very good in this film and the script is well written to keep the audience engaged from the moment visitors arrive at the gated home. When it appears to be law enforcement, the drama starts to build, and changes commence. There is reason to begin to question what the true intent is when the Barris state they will help the Salvadoran employees. Some things don’t add up and Nico is not ready to play along by all the rules so that he can figure out what is best for him and his mom. I am pleasantly surprised and pleased over the well written script and the authenticity of a story about immigrants, one that is not as routine as other stories seem to be.
Ezekiel Pacheco is certainly a talented actor and one to keep an eye on in future productions. Pacheco is known for his work on the television series “On My Block,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Chivalry.” At the Gates serves as is his feature film debut.
Synopsis: Ana (Vanessa Benavente), a housekeeper from El Salvador, brings her teenage son Nico (Ezekiel Pacheco) to help her clean an affluent family’s Los Angeles home. But after someone rings the front gate, her employers, Marianne (Miranda Otto) and Peter Barris (Noah Wyle), inform them that immigration officers are searching for them and convince the pair to hide in a basement closet, demanding they hand over their cell phones as a safety precaution. As days go by under the same roof, each family begins to question the other’s true intentions in this riveting and emotional thriller from first-time feature director Augustus Meleo Bernstein.
Run Time: 97 minutes / Rating: Rated R for language and some drug use
After screenings at a few film festivals, the film is now available on October 25, 2024.
Source: Picturehouse
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