neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Manito
	Eric Eason Franky G., Leo Minaya, Manuel Cabral, Julissa Lopez, Jessica Morales, Hector Gonzalez 2002		Rising above a low budget, writer/director Eric Eason brings fire and compassion to his debut film, the inner-city drama "Manito." The members of the Moreno family have cause to celebrate: Manny (Leo Minaya) AKA Manito is graduating with honors from high school and will be the first Moreno to attend college. But Manny's elder brother Junior, an ex-con working as a contractor and trying to stay on the straight and narrow, is burdened by his ongoing hatred of their father. Besides running his business, cheating on his wife and overseeing the graduation party planned for Manny, Junior — played by the incendiary Franky G. ("The Italian Job") — is still coping with the unpleasant legacy of the local drug trade. The presence of crime on the block was no obstacle to Manny's academic success, although the tension in the air now smacks of impending doom. "Manito" is shot on video, and when it isn't annoyingly grainy, the look suggests documentary-style legitimacy and even a little street cred. The script doesn't develop Manny enough, and its resolution leans on fateful melodrama. If you regard "Manito" as Junior's story, Franky G. — the essence of star quality — makes up for any shortcomings.