review for Come and Take it Day on AllMovie

This alarming literate and passionately drawn drama delves into the world of Texas Latinos with such assured authenticity that it could pass for a social studies documentary. The lingo, the cultural references, the pace of life, even the historic event that sets off the plot -- who knew Come and Take It Day was really celebrated with a parade? -- expose audiences to experiences exclusive to the teeming blue collar underclass. That would be enlightening enough, but writer-director Jim Mendiola also puts together an intriguing sort-of-heist caper (they're not really stealing the silver, they're just clandestinely recovering it, right?). Granted, the ending is rushed and somewhat disappointing -- what's that TV news crew doing on the scene? -- but one imagines the larger point of the film is to show Latino culture without phony commercial camouflage -- Maid in Manhattan it is not. The acting is pretty good across the board, with Jesse Borrego setting the pace, but the real star of the show is Mendiola's script, which dares to give Latino actors challenging lines and insightful dialogue.