A Day Without A Mexican

A Day Without A Mexican is a film by Sergio Arau known as a mockumentary. Sure, it had a cheesy plot and poor acting. However, this was intentionally done, as the purpose of the film was not to impress, but rather to inform. This movie depicts what would happen if the Latino population suddenly vanished in California. Its message is to illustrate to the viewer the importance of the Latino Community, and it pokes fun at the whites who wrongly consider anyone who speaks Spanish a "Mexican".

The film gets its message across in many ways. It utilizes logos to depict how crucial Latinos are to this economy and this community, stating that 8 of the LA Dodgers are Latinos, and 60% of construction workers in California are Latinos. These alarming statistics emphasize how involved Hispanics are in their community, and their importance to the American society, whether they are legal or illegal immigrants.

The movie also employs pathos to further enhance how people take for granted the work that Latinos do. It presents the car crash of reporter Lyla Rodriguez, and the fact that she is the last Hispanic left in California, along with the disappearance of her family.

Ethos in the movie can be found by analyzing the governor of California, Abercrombie, who cares little about the Hispanics in the community, and values very little their work, up until they disappear and he realizes what an impact they had as a work force. Thus, he reluctantly recognizes that California needs these "Mexicans", even though some may be illegal, to work. As the film points out, agriculture is the focal point of the California economy, an area of the work force primarily devoted to "Mexicans".

The movie stereotypes whites, in a way, but it is effective in getting its point across through its use of humor and shocking statistics, along with its cheesy plot.