Country: USA
Language: Spanish and English
Genre: Drama
Year of Production: 2008
Format: 35mm
Running Time: 114 minutes
Certificate: 15
Theatrical Release date: 5th June 2009

Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's powerful and ambitious follow-up to their startlingly assured feature debut (the Oscar-nominated Half Nelson). But just as their first film was not your average high school drama, nor is SUGAR even close to being just another American sports movie.

Miguel 'Sugar' Santos (Algenis Perez Soto) realises his opportunity to achieve the American Dream, when he is picked to enter a US rookie academy and given a chance to play in the major league. But thoughts of success, fame and celebrity are thwarted by the reality of his situation. Increasingly isolated, he has to decide whether to continue on the path that is expected of him, or breakout and discover his own place in the world.

Featuring a remarkable performance by Algenis Perez Soto, SUGAR is an original and provocative portrait of the modern-day immigrant experience by two of America's most distinctive young filmmakers.

"mightily impressive follow-up to last year's 'Half Nelson'... compassionate, intelligent and politically assured filmmaking of the highest order."
David Jenkins, TIME OUT

"beautifully realised and hugely moving" 4 STARS
SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

"the best film of the week... a triumph" 4 STARS, CRITICS' CHOICE
Nigel Andrews, THE FINANCIAL TIMES

"a picture of integrity, intelligence and empathy that studiously avoids cliche" 4 STARS
Wendy Ide, THE TIMES

"Utterly gripping, profoundly moving and brilliantly acted... One of the finest films this year." 5 STARS
David Edwards, THE DAILY MIRROR

"beautiful and searching" MUST-SEE FILM
Tim Robey, THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

"Sugar is a revelation... bright and shining... a powerful tale" 4 STARS
THE GUARDIAN

"my recommendation of the week... brilliantly done... [Algenis Perez Soto] is terrific"
Jason Solomons, FILM WEEKLY - THE GUARDIAN

"beautifully moving"
Xan Brooks, FILM WEEKLY - THE GUARDIAN

PICK OF THE WEEK
GUARDIAN GUIDE

"terrific... a complex bittersweet flavour" 4 STARS, FIVE BEST FILMS
THE INDEPENDENT

"poignant, sweet and very funny"
INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

"wonderful... honest and moving... great cinema" 4 STARS
DAILY MAIL

"The American Dream is alive and well in Sugar"
DAILY EXPRESS

"highly recommended"
THE FILM PROGRAMME - BBC RADIO 4

"a wonderful film... studiously avoids all cliche"
SATURDAY REVIEW - BBC RADIO 4

"masterful... profoundly feel-good" 4 STARS, THE HIT LIST: PICK OF SCREEN
METRO

"an intelligent spin on the immigrant story"
THE SCOTSMAN

"entirely satisfying... a surprisingly unpredictable film"
SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY

"powerfully expressed... a personal odyssey skilfully and movingly told... Perez Soto is excellent in the lead role, and Boden and Fleck illuminate" 4 STARS
IRISH INDEPENDENT

"a moving tale... Driven by a relaxed, charming performance by Soto, Sugar has a grit and purchase that sets it aside from more mainstream dramas" 4 STARS
Donald Clarke, THE TICKET, IRISH TIMES

"beautiful and mesmerising... deserves to be seen by as many people as possible."
LITTLE WHITE LIES

"a lovely film, exceptionally perceptive and moving... Soto is suberb" 4 STARS
RADIO TIMES

"If you liked Half Nelson, Sugar won't disappoint."
CLASH MAGAZINE

"Brilliantly directed, superbly written and thoroughly engaging... Perez Soto is astonishing as Sugar... beautifully shot with sumptuous cinematography by Andrij Parekh... wonderful... Unmissable." 5 STARS
VIEW LONDON

"epiphanic and ecstatic... Sugar does for the underdog sports story what their previous collaboration did for the inspiring-teacher parable." 5 STARS
TIME OUT NEW YORK

"a wise and lovely new film... the surprise of "Sugar"... is that it's not really about baseball at all. It's about, among other things, the way America looks through the eyes of a stranger... "Sugar" walks away from cliches... thrilling" NYT CRITICS' PICK
A O Scott, NEW YORK TIMES

"very special... a wonderful film."
Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

"powerful and honest... one of the best films of the year." 4 STARS
CHICAGO TRIBUNE

"a beautifully made film... thoughtful, poignant" 5 STARS
LOS ANGELES TIMES

"[a] ground-breaking film... [Algenis Perez Soto] scores a knockout, nailing every nuance in a complex role... Boden and Fleck are exceptional talents... raw and riveting"
Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

"the entire film is just gorgeous, like a painting brought to life... incredibly shot"
CINEMATICAL

"a gripping look at the immigrant experience... visually arresting"
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

"Sugar doesn't go where you'd expect... Irresistible!"
NEWSWEEK

"Sugar is extraordinary... immediately marks these very talented directors as major figures of American cinema...constantly subvert expectation... a transporting experience."
SCREEN INTERNATIONAL



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