A Day Without a Mexican
A thick fog surrounds California's borders, communication beyond state lines is cut off, and the Mexicans disappear: workers, spouses, and business owners are missing. Cars are abandoned in the street, food is left cooking on the stove. We meet the wife of a musician who's gone, a state Senator whose maid doesn't show up for work, and a farm owner whose produce is ripe and unpicked. A scientist asks any Mexicans who haven't disappeared to volunteer for genetic experiments: a female newscaster and the daughter of the musician may be the only missing links around. Why them? And where have all the Mexicans gone? Even the border guards grieve. The state and its economy grind to a halt.
Despite its modest budget of $1.5M, A Day Without a Mexican became a massive hit, earning $10.1M worldwide—a remarkable 570% return. The film's innovative storytelling engaged audiences, demonstrating that strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
3 wins & 2 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
A Day Without a Mexican (2004) exhibits meticulously timed narrative architecture, characteristic of Sergio Arau's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 13-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 38 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.1, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Lila Rodriguez
Senator Steven Abercrombie
Mary Jo Quintana
Lila's Mother
Main Cast & Characters
Lila Rodriguez
Played by Yareli Arizmendi
A news reporter who becomes the face of investigating the mysterious disappearance of Latinos from California.
Senator Steven Abercrombie
Played by John Getz
A California state senator whose life and political career are upended when his housekeeper and other Latinos vanish.
Mary Jo Quintana
Played by Caroline Aaron
A music publicist who struggles with her identity as she is half-Latina and remains when others disappear.
Lila's Mother
Played by María Conchita Alonso
Lila's traditional Mexican mother who disappears along with the other Latinos, shown in flashbacks.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes California bustles with activity as Latinos work in every sector of society - agriculture, entertainment, domestic service, emergency services. The state's dependence on Latino labor is invisible to most residents.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when A mysterious pink fog descends on California. When it lifts, every single Latino resident - approximately one-third of the state's population - has vanished without a trace. Panic and confusion immediately grip the state.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 25 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to California officials and residents must accept the new reality and attempt to function without Latinos. The decision is made to try to carry on and adapt. Society actively commits to surviving this crisis, not knowing if or when people will return., moving from reaction to action.
At 49 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat The economic and social collapse reaches critical mass. California's economy is in free fall, infrastructure is failing, and the federal government considers abandoning the state. The stakes are raised from inconvenience to existential threat. False defeat: survival seems impossible., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 74 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, California faces total collapse - the state is dying. The realization hits that the state cannot survive without its Latino population. Hope of their return fades. The "death" is both literal (state failure) and metaphorical (death of ignorance and privilege)., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 78 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Resolution of the crisis. The pink fog returns and Latinos reappear as mysteriously as they vanished. Reunions occur, but the real climax is internal - how California and its residents have been transformed by recognizing their interdependence and the value of every member of society., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
A Day Without a Mexican's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 13 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping A Day Without a Mexican against these established plot points, we can identify how Sergio Arau utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish A Day Without a Mexican within the comedy genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
California bustles with activity as Latinos work in every sector of society - agriculture, entertainment, domestic service, emergency services. The state's dependence on Latino labor is invisible to most residents.
Theme
A character remarks on how people take essential workers for granted, suggesting "you never know what you have until it's gone." This establishes the film's exploration of invisibility, value, and societal interdependence.
Worldbuilding
Introduction of key characters including Lila Rodriguez, a news reporter, and various Latino workers across California. We see the fabric of daily life - farms, restaurants, households, newsrooms - all functioning normally with Latino workers as integral but unacknowledged parts.
Disruption
A mysterious pink fog descends on California. When it lifts, every single Latino resident - approximately one-third of the state's population - has vanished without a trace. Panic and confusion immediately grip the state.
Resistance
Initial reactions to the disappearance: denial, confusion, wild theories. The border is sealed by a mysterious force field. Politicians and media debate what happened. Society begins to struggle without Latino workers, but many don't yet grasp the full implications.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
California officials and residents must accept the new reality and attempt to function without Latinos. The decision is made to try to carry on and adapt. Society actively commits to surviving this crisis, not knowing if or when people will return.
Mirror World
Lila Rodriguez's story becomes central as we see flashbacks of her life and relationship. Her absence serves as the emotional anchor, representing all the disappeared and forcing others to confront what they've lost on a personal level.
Premise
The "fun and games" of societal collapse: crops rot in fields, restaurants close, emergency services fail, privileged families can't function without domestic help, the entertainment industry grinds to a halt. Dark comedy as California confronts its utter dependence on disappeared workers.
Midpoint
The economic and social collapse reaches critical mass. California's economy is in free fall, infrastructure is failing, and the federal government considers abandoning the state. The stakes are raised from inconvenience to existential threat. False defeat: survival seems impossible.
Opposition
Desperation intensifies. Racial tensions and xenophobia paradoxically increase even in absence of Latinos. Scapegoating and finger-pointing replace problem-solving. Some characters cling to prejudice, others begin genuine reflection. Society fragments further under pressure.
Collapse
California faces total collapse - the state is dying. The realization hits that the state cannot survive without its Latino population. Hope of their return fades. The "death" is both literal (state failure) and metaphorical (death of ignorance and privilege).
Crisis
Darkness and reflection. Characters confront their complicity in invisibilizing Latino contributions. The emotional weight of loss - both practical and human - sinks in. Grief over taken-for-granted relationships and humanity.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Resolution of the crisis. The pink fog returns and Latinos reappear as mysteriously as they vanished. Reunions occur, but the real climax is internal - how California and its residents have been transformed by recognizing their interdependence and the value of every member of society.