Free Dead or Alive

- Here, condoms and birth control.

- I am sorry, please keep that filth to yourself.

- Please, perhaps you should sit down.

There are some things you don't know

about the journey north.

- And please, you need these, too.

- My wife and daughter don't need these.

- Why don't you save yourselves the trouble?

- You don't tell me and my family where to go.

I would listen to him.

Vile creature, don't listen.

- No, no, let him speak, they deserve to know.

Know what?

Know,

know that your wife

and your mijita are gonna be raped.

And your son

will be murdered.

And the padre, the father, the father,

husband, sole protector,

will die trying to defend them,

or die in shame, in the guilt of your failure.

Hundreds and thousand miles away from home.

Who are you supposed to be?

To some, I am the ugly truth.

To others I am Recelo.

But the real question is,

how much are you and your family

willing to pay to get to America?

Perdon, perdon.

No.

No, please.

You took the line of credit,

knowing you could not pay it back.

Now we take your wife to settle the debt.

Machete!

Her.

Please. No.

Put her in your hands.

- Please, a beautiful woman like you should have everything

she wants in her life.

- If you don't take my money, I'm gonna put everything back.

What?

You think you're too good to not accept my kindness?

- Nothing in this store is worth anything other

than my money.

- Eva! Jesus, Eva, I could have...

Look at you.

I've always told you, you would thank me one day.

A knife is an extension

of a woman's power- - What have you done now?

I have some good news for you.

What?

You spent our rent money again?

- You think rent money can buy all of that?

Where'd it come from, then?

I know you didn't earn it.

What?

An old whore like me ain't worth a life, huh?

Ma, I didn't say that.

- Us women cannot hide from the truth.

It always finds us.

Anyway,

it is what it is.

- So, what is it this time?

- I found you a husband,

raised in Puerto Rico.

A husband?

- Yes, in fact, he's gonna be here tonight.

So you might want to get cleaned up.

Look, I even got you a new dress.

Mama.

This is worse than what I would expect even from you.

- What, finding you a wealthy husband

that can take you away from all this filth is somehow bad?

Wealthy husband.

I've told you, I don't care-

- Yeah, I know you don't care about money.

But Eva,

look, I got you the best of both worlds.

This kid is handsome!

You know he says he's looking for one-of-a-kind woman.

So, okay.

Just so there's no confusion let's be clear about this,

You sold me to him.

Leave it to you.

Leave it to you to find something

negative on everything.

Yeah, I got a little something out for me, so what?

I don't deserve nice things?

Eva.

What are you waiting for?

I don't need you to take care of me.

A strong, smart woman, it's a rare thing.

You're finally met with real opportunity,

and what do you do, huh?

You stand there with your head in the clouds,

with a suitcase packed ready to go nowhere.

It's my life!

It's not a thing to be sold or traded for a new TV.

- I know you, you're just planning

to give it to some local farmer.

And you're sitting on a goldmine,

right between your skinny little legs.

Eva, you're not gonna have to be hungry anymore.

All you have to do is say yes to one man,

instead of waiting for a man that doesn't exist.

Look, you're beautiful.

You are, oh, my God, you're far more beautiful

than I ever was.

And I want what's best for you.

You know I was young once, and I also searched

for my knight in shining armor,

and I was betrayed by your dad,

the one man,

the one man I thought I could trust-

- Ay, Mama, I know, my father, the war,

the ultimate proof that no man can be trusted.

Look at me. So silly.

I shouldn't have.

- Us women should not waste our time with tears.

I'm not something to be sold.

I'm going to be free and alive

with a local goat herder that I love,

or free and dead with all the other things

you say never existed to begin with.

- How great you could have been if

you were born somewhere with opportunity.

- I'll make my own opportunities.

- Of course you will, but for now,

can you just do your mama a favor?

Look, just meet with this man tonight.

If he's not what you want

or what you feel that you deserve,

then we'll just say no.

Yeah, we'll say no and we'll give him back all his shit.

- But I'm not wearing that dress.

So what did you think?

- I don't know, it was an okay movie.

What do you want to do next?

Hungry?

- No, I'm full from the popcorn.

Plus it's getting late and I've been working all day.

We discussed the car, Miguel.

- Ah, yes, I know, you made it painfully clear

you're not getting in.

But to be honest, I don't know why you wouldn't trust me.

Trust is earned.

That takes time.

Fair enough.

So let's take another walk around the barrio.

No first date can be complete without ice cream.

- Okay. - Cool?

- Yep, short walk around the barrio.

So what's the secret?

For a man like me to win your heart?

- My heart's not something to be won.

It's something I'll share

with the right man at the right time.

Yes, that sounds like a dream

some American gringa might have.

Maybe so, at least I got one.

What's your dream?

- My dad runs a cartel, I will run a cartel.

No dream is necessary.

- You don't want more out of life, to blaze your own path?

- What more is there than being rich and powerful?

A lot more, like being happy.

Being free.

- Yes, that's what poor people say.

Wait 'til we are married. - Ouch.

- Then you'll see true happiness and freedom.

- Oh, slow down, I didn't say I would marry you.

I just met you, we-

We what?

You don't want the life I can give you?

You know, Eva,

I do like this whole diamond in the rough routine,

but I think you might be taking it a bit too far.

Routine?

You're beautiful, yes.

The question is, for how long?

In a place like this, your mother's a whore.

I'm offering you a way out.

Come on, now you're getting in my car.

- You think you're offering me a better life,

with you in a cartel?

You can get your little trinkets tomorrow.

I'll see myself home.

Let's go, Miguel.

Run, Eva, run!

Run!

- You know, you can improve on the cooking.

Help me out here.

I'm trying to figure out, why would the daughter

of a whore think she can tell me no?

Hmm.

- All that money and power, and this is what you do

when you don't get your way?

- I assure you, I always get my way.