This endearing movie examines the lives of young Latinos in New York during a sweltering summer. Sex is in the air for almost everyone in the movie which takes a sympathetic look at the perils of growing up. Victor is interested in Judy, his younger sister Vicky may or may not be interested in Judy's younger brother Carlos who is definitely interested in her. Victor's younger brother is becoming interested in sex as his body enters adolescence. Their grandmother, a strict Catholic immigrant from the Dominican Republic has her hands full trying to keep these kids on the straight and narrow and isn't quite sure how to deal with this outbreak of sexuality which she finds deeply threatening.
These are basically all good kids trying to find their way -- but there are temptations and dangers out there which could easily lure them on to the wrong path.
This movie feels right -- the performances seem authentic and the characters feel real. I enjoyed it greatly.

This movie and the characters in it are so real. It describes exactly the grittiness, people and energy of the New York that I love. They are rude, in-your-face, and therefore incredibly fascinating to be with. Having lived there for 10 years, I felt like the characters are my neighbours and friends.

Some reviewers thought this is about poverty or limited resource or the rough life of an urban hispanic youth. I don't think you will feel that way if you ever tasted life in the Big Apple. This is about the incredible cauldron of human beings living densely on a small island. While I lived a life of relative affluence and privilege while in New York, I know many friends who live in the Lower East Side and in homes not very different from the one in the movie. But their lives are not improvished, or limited, and they don't feel that way themselves. They are incredibly interesting, romantic and full of sparkle and energy. I guess that is the reason why the Lower East Side is now becoming yuppiefied!

A GREAT FILM
This is such a good film. Its realistic and really funny. Its a good comedy with a heart and the acting is great. I would recommend it to anybody.

Also Recommended: Girlfight, Requiem For A Dream

What you come to love most about this film is that it holds nothing back. It shows you what's on the teenage mind around that age and it doesn't water anything down. In Raising Victor Vargas you basically get to know two teenage guys Victor who has a cocky and arrogent swagger and his friend Harold who is really just along for the ride that is victor's life. What's interesting about the movie is that the girl Victor wants is constantly harassed all day every day by guys that want her and Victor becomes one of them. This movie becomes an addiction after the first time you watch it, you can't really explain every detail you just have to see it and you really can't give any of the film away because its a life and you watch a boy become a man. I love that Victor and Judy never have sex and to me it increases the amount of love showing that Victor finally learned what he was meant to be instead of the womanizer he was trying to be.

Victor is a teenager living on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, trying to grow up and become a man, in spite of everything that is thrown his way. First of all, Grandma, his grandmother that is raising him and his brother and sister, is a real ball-breaker. She throws him out, only to be told it is illegal to put minors out on the streets in the USA. She thinks he is a horibble influence on his brother Nino, the grandmother's unabashed favorite. Nino is just reaching the age where he is spending literally hours in the bathroom with dirty magazines, and when Grandma walks in and sees him going to town, she blames it all on Victor. The fights between the siblings seem to real and relevant. The language used is vulgar and yet accurate. Everything that Victor is concerned about...the neighborhood not knowing he is sleeping with Fat Donna, his crush on Juicy Judy, is amusing and reminds one of being a teenager. There is much more depth to this movie than I would have expected, and Victor Rasuk, who plays Victor Vargas, is a force to be reckoned with.