Set in a poverty stricken neighborhood in Quito, Rodents (Ratas, Ratones y Rateros in Spanish) recounts the life of a teenager, Salvador, who is trying to make living by committing petty crimes.
Although Ecuadorian director, Sebastián Cordero, chooses his homeland for the movie, the story could be based in any South American country.
Salvador has just been kicked out of school to the anger of his father who is already caring for Salvador’s senile grandmother.
Both to amuse themselves and make some money, Salvador and friends Marlon and Mayra steal small things such as hubcaps and windscreen wipers.
Life changes with the arrival of Salvador’s cousin Ángel who has just been released from jail and is now on the run from criminals to whom he owes money.
Against his father’s wishes, Salvador invites Ángel, against whom he has a bad feeling, to his home where they are followed by hitmen and almost killed.
The two escape to start a life of more serious crime where Ángel promises they will make huge amounts of easy money. The cousins move to the streets where they involve themselves in dodgy deals and sell drugs.
Although the movie was released in 1999, it was not widely watched until 2001 and 2002. In 2001, Rodents was nominated for the Best Film of the Year by the Spanish Goya Awards.
Ratas, Ratones y Rateros, ambientada en un barrio pobre de Quito, cuenta la vida de Salvador, un adolescente que trata de sobrevivir cometiendo delitos menores. Aunque el director ecuatoriano, Sebastián Cordero, escoge su país para la película, la historia podría suceder en cualquier otro país sudamericano. A Salvador lo expulsaron recientemente de la escuela, para enojo de su padre, quien es responsable del cuidado de la abuela senil de Salvador. Salvador y sus amigos, Marlon y Mayra, para divertirse y hacer dinero, deciden robar cosas pequeñas como tapacubos y limpiaparabrisas. La vida cambia con la llegada de Ángel, el primo de Salvador, quien recientemente ha salido de la cárcel y ahora lo persiguen unos criminales a los que les debe dinero. En contra de la voluntad de su padre, a quien Ángel le da mala espina, Salvador lo invita a su casa, a donde unos sicarios los siguen y casi los matan. Los dos escapan para empezar una vida de crímenes más serios en la cual Ángel les promete que van a hacer mucho dinero fácil. Los primos se van a vivir a la calle en donde se involucran en negocios dudosos y venden drogas. Aunque la película se lanzó en 1999, no fue muy conocida sino hasta 2001 y 2002. En 2001, Ratas, Ratones y Rateros fue nominada para la Mejor Película del Año por los Premios Españoles Goya.
SPANISH LESSON
“En contra de la voluntad de su padre, a quien Ángel le daba mala espina…”
When we use the idiomatic expression ‘dar mala espina’ the meaning is to give a bad feeling, instill apprehension or prevention.
‘thorn’ is a sign of difficulty or an inconvenience rather annoying, therefore ‘dar mala espina’ means that the subject is preceded by bad feelings, is suspicious or of suspected nature and creates some prior uneasiness.
The word ‘espina’ (thorn’), used figuratively, is synonymous with pain, discomfort or torment, possibly due to the religious iconography presents the thorns or the crown of Jesus Christ. Thorn is often a symbol of suffering.
Ejemplos: “Viste cómo estaba vestido ese chico? Me da mala espina”. (Did you see how that kid is dressed? I have a bad feeling about him. “No he tenido noticias de Luisa desde hace un mes. Me da mala espina” “I have not heard anything from Luisa for a month. I have a bad feeling”