Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'Where God Left His Shoes'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Let's be honest, we often take our lives for granted. This is by no means an indictment on our way of life, or a judgment or rant in the making, just a simple observation. For the most part, we as a society have it made. There's cutting edge technology at our fingertips, plenty to eat, plenty to do, it's a good life, there's no denying that.  

But there is always a flip side to everything that’s wonderful in this world, and sadly there are folks out there struggling to get by. It's a fact we are all aware of, but we are just that, aware of it. We rarely see first-hand just how hard life can be in a country as great as ours. As always that's where film comes in, to tell a story, regardless of the challenge and I recently stumbled across one that manages to tell a harrowing and beautiful story of those less fortunate, Where God Left His Shoes.

Frank Diaz is in one hell of a bind. His boxing career is in a slump and there's no money to pay the rent or keep the lights on for his family. With no income, Frank and his family are evicted on Halloween. After spending months in a homeless shelter, a shred of hope arrives. A Government housing project has an open apartment and all they need to get Frank and his family a home for the holidays is a pay stub. Now it is a race of against time on Christmas Eve for Frank to find a job and get his family out of a shelter and back into a home.  

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​So, I have to say flat out, this movie left me in tears. It's a powerful and moving piece simply because of how well the talented cast portray these troubled characters, but out of everyone in the cast, we need to single out John Leguizamo, who plays Frank, because, this is by far John's finest performance to date on screen. Because he brings the tortured soul of Frank Diaz, a Gulf War Veteran, to life. Frank is a man who knows exactly what he does wrong in life. He quits too easy, he lets his temper get the better of him, but he does his best for a family that loves him and he tries so incredibly hard to be something more for all of them. 

His performance is beautifully complimented by an incredible screenplay that completely draws you in. You are there every step of the way with the Diaz family and you want nothing more than to see them succeed. But, and one could consider this a spoiler I suppose, be ready for a rough ride when it comes to this motion picture. It holds nothing back. It will show you a family desperate for a little security in this life and if you're not prepared for that...this film will shock you in ways you would not expect.

Yet, you need to see this one. This is one of those important films that needs to go into your collection. It is a fine reminder that many of us out there have it pretty damn good, and that for some out there, just making it through the day is one hell of a challenge. There are no easy answers in this film, no spoon-fed solutions, just a tough tale about a family fighting for survival in the middle of the season of giving.

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