In Echo Park (2018)

Synopsis

A film about self-discovery in the face of economic and social pressures, In Echo Park tells three interlocking stories that take place over the course of 48 hours, each focusing on a different population of the Los Angeles neighborhood Echo Park. An analysis of both gentrification and the present economic landscape, the film follows JJ and Nina, two street punks with histories of domestic abuse and addiction; Leanna and Jared, a millennial couple on the verge of financial and personal collapse; and Luis, a Salvadoran-American teenager being solicited for membership by a local street gang. Over two days, we watch as the dramas of these characters’ lives unfold. JJ is given information that could lead Nina to shelter and away from their shared life; Jared confronts Leanna about their stagnating relationship, which has become defined by infidelity and financial stress; Luis considers following the path of gang life set down by his father. These three stories track characters who gradually, over the course of these two days, begin to reevaluate their circumstances, their choices, and what steps might need to be taken in order to find their own versions of peace. These people are together the faces that make up Echo Park, and this film presents their lives with unflinching honesty and compassion.

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