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The American Dream In Lucy Mulloy's Una Noche

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In Una Noche, three teenagers, Raul, Elio, and Lila, prepare for and eventually make the 90 mile journey from Havana, Cuba to Miami, Florida. The two young men desire to leave Cuba in search of a better life while Lila, Elio 's sister and narrator of the film, joins at the last minute because she does not want to be separated from her twin. Lila is the pragmatic voice of reason amongst the three and is not completely sold on the perfect life that Raul proclaims they will find in Miami. Elio is not as enthusiastic about the American dream and is primarily travelling with Raul to Miami due to his suppressed romantic feelings for the other young man. Una Noche was directed by Lucy Mulloy, a first time director who decided to make the film after …show more content…

A major theme of the film is how the main characters, especially Raul and Lila, perceive the United States. Raul 's perception of what life will be like for them in America is extremely skewed. This is indicated by his decision to dress nicely for the intense 90 mile journey because he believes he will easily be able to find his absentee father right as he arrives in Miami. No details are revealed about Raul 's father or when he left, but in Raul 's mind, his father has become very successful, owns a sports car, and is involved with a multitude of women in the United States. This concept of the American dream is not an actuality for countless immigrants and Lila gives Raul a reality check. She lets him know that they will still be working in kitchens in America, but in Cuba they would at least have health care. Raul 's concept of America as the perfect land of opportunity and instant success is a dangerous idea that causes disappointment for many, who find themselves working just as hard to make a living here as they did back home. At the end of the journey when only Raul and Lila arrive in America, Raul 's father is not waiting and their first steps on American soil are weak stumbles. The film ends on an abrupt note with their arrest and leaves their ultimate fate unknown, mirroring the uncertainty that generations of immigrants have felt when arriving in the United

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