A slow, quasi-documentary style portrait of life on the fringes, and compelling characters depicted with a very steady cinematic eye.

I love this movie, it's so well directed, with a realistic and sensitive vision. Ramin Bahrani is a phenomenal filmmaker, no wonder Roger Ebert called him "the director of the decade." Can't wait for White Tiger on Netflix!

"GRIMY | GRITTY | PAINSTAKING | RAW | REALISTIC" (87-out-of-100)

I know the intent was good...just.. well, little boring.

A work for art. A tribute to building a better life for yourself and your family. Grit, beauty, and honesty, all in one. A beautiful story and very well told. Bahrani does an amazing job telling the tale of these children who fight for everything.

A landmark for new independent cinema.

Chop Shop is by far one of the best films in the last 10 years. Ramin Bahrani truly defines what it means to create a great work of art. Alejandro Polanco was brilliant in his performance. Overall, great film!

A simple but convincing film.

This film has been sitting in my Instant Queue forever, probably ever since I saw Bahrani's other excellent film, Goodbye Solo. But I could never bring myself to watch it; perhaps I thought it might be too depressing. The amazing thing about Chop Shop is that it was made without professional actors. But rather than handicapping the film, Bahrani's carefully constructed masterpiece is enhanced by the realism and naturalism the actual inhabitants of the area bring to the movie. This is not a happy movie, especially considering the sad reality of American poverty. But it strangely is not depressing either. It is just very real.

An arrestingly told slice-of-life. Young "Ale" Polanco is a true natural.

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Realism at it's best. Subtle and natural. Nothing seemed forced. It didn't feel like I was watching a movie. It felt more like observing a life.

good...realistic...tragic...all of the above...

Liked it, but didn't love it. I get the whole neorealistic angle on a neighborhood I've been in several times from regularly attending the U.S. Open tennis tournament (no Mets games.. sorry).. but same place. I have have no doubt this is exactly the kind of thing that goes on there. Makes me appreciate that I do not live there.. and makes me feel somewhat vicarious and guilty at the same time.

This and Goodbye Solo were enough to convince me: Bahrani is a unique American director whose approach to film making carries almost no trace of being American. Take note, American directors: this is how you make a film with this type of subject matter. It's never condescending, never judgmental, and never paints its characters with a fixated moral position. It doesn't sensationalize, it doesn't want to attract your sympathy. It just wants to share a slice of life.

All of these independent matter-of-fact vignette-esque films this year.. Chop Shop doesn't exactly present a story, but a lifestyle, no frills or convoluted point. Yet somehow it remains compelling and unavoidably watchable; we want to know more about this character and his world, because we know little about it and it is so vivid and alive that it gives some perspective on ourselves. It does very little yet it manages to make you feel good, marveling in the ingenuity of a little boy and strangely the comfort of the world, given but a slice of life very different from your own. This alone is an amazing feat.

http://www.cinemapat.com/2010/11/chop-shop-ramin-bahrani-2007.html I love gritty drama films. Especially those that include a coming of age story. This poignant film by director Ramin Bahrani and writer Bahareh Azimi showcases the struggle of a Latino street orphan to make life better for himself and his sister. Ale, played wonderfully by Alejandro Polanco in his first staring role, finds a job working for a local mechanic doing odd jobs. He finds out that his sister is doing some things on the side for money that aren't, well, "respectable". His portrayal was very realistic and at times it seemed like I was watching a documentary. There isn't much of a plot here, but you can't help but to appreciate the performances. The two leads, Polanco and Isamar Gonzales (Ale's Sister) were found at a local school with no prior acting experience or study. Finding that out post viewing made me appreciate their "chops" even more so. Also, most of the extra's were just people milling around their normal lives in Queens. This is why this type of film is labeled as "neo-realism" and why it was such a successful production. The setting of the film by itself is a character of the movie. Shot in Willets Point, Queens in New York, this IS the real deal. Bahrani mentions in an interview with Alt Film Guide that "...I am making films about how the majority of people in this world live, and we must also accept that this majority is utterly ignored by Hollywood and Independent film..." So true he is. The gritty real background of Chop Shop pulls the audience even more into the performances of the actors. Allowing the director to "...direct without directing." as he mentions in the same interview. Being that there is not much of a plot in this movie, one has to ask why? Was there a reason the writers chose to concentrate on a "section" of time in this boys life? Yes, it was to show that in real life things happen, secrets are revealed and life goes on. I appreciated the fact that this was just a snippet of what Ale's existence is really like. We don't know if he gets out of the slums or if his sister succeeds in a more productive endeavor. What we do know is that life is hard, and sometimes you have to do what you have to do to survive. The situations presented in this film were shown without a filter so to speak. Ramin Bahrani did a wonderful job giving us a glimpse into the street life so many children are part of today. Cinematographer Michael Simmons, who also worked on "Man Push Cart" the directors first film, was outstanding. He moved the camera a lot, but it was to the benefit of the viewer in my opinion. We weren't concentrated on one central character, we were distracted by the goings on around the dialog on screen, much like it would be in real life. The production team filmed using the High Definition Sony F900 then blew up the final product to 35mm. It was a good decision and gave the film that gritty, documentary feel the director was going for. I really enjoyed this little slice of life from Queens. It was something I haven't really seen before so that was refreshing. I've bumped this up to a 4/5 due to the striking performances of the actors. Initially I would have given a 3/5 due to the fact that with all of the films positive points, it was still a little boring. If you are looking for a stylized extravagant production with a happy ending, you may want to look elsewhere. For those looking for an experience unlike many out there, this one is for you.

feels like your watching a doc set in a poor country - the lead acting so realistic and the setting actual. Roger Ebert placed this movie on his top ten of the decade for the impact it had on him.

While spending an entire movie following around a little boy as he tries to make an extra buck here and there in a very real interpretation of New York City can seem boring, "Chop Shop" is anything but, thanks to it's amazing lead character. Ali (Alejandro Polanco) is spunky and endearing, filled with goals and dreams for a better life for himself and his sister. We never see the life that he dreams of, but that's far from the point. Just like director Ramin Bahrani's first film, "Man Push Cart","Chop Shop" is only considered with reality. He doesn't worry about what could be, but rather what is, and that's what makes both of his films essential viewing.

Sad, but feels like it could be very very real.