Damian Alcazar did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Juan Vargas in Herod's Law.
This film is quite something to say the least, and is the first collaboration between Luis Estrada and Damian Alcazar with Alcazar in a leading role. The role of this character actually begins a lot seemingly like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, as a political machine boss sets up a seeming simpleton to perform this political duty. Of course that is where the comparisons cease...mostly. This as Alcazar's performance early on actually carries with it this kind of earnestness that I wouldn't say is entirely unCapraesque actually, as he portrays the eagerness of a man ready and willing to do what he can as mayor. Alcazar is a very dynamic performer as is, this as he's one of those actors of a smaller stature who carries with him this large presence. The large presence here though is that of more of a fool than anything else, however a wonderful fool he is particularly with that earnestness he brings initially. This as everything he reacts to with this bright smile of the man just happy for his job and even more joyous at the idea that it seems he may have any prospect in life whatsoever at this point. At this point Alcazar makes for an endearing hero, of sorts, as he brings that energetic personality as we see Juan trying to make it in the town with his wife, and bringing as much gusto as he can to be the best mayor he can be.
Before he can even settle in though Juan quickly sees forces against him with a local doctor filled with his own aspirations, to the local brothel owners who like things done their way, to dealing with a random American (Alex Cox, randomly though enjoyably) who comes across on the road when Juan is having car trouble. In each of these initial interactions Alcazar is great in coming with that earnest attitude eager to ease some sort of tension or make some sort of practical deal for the "good" of the village. In each though he finds people ready to exploit him in one way or another soon as they can think of it. Alcazar's performance then is one of this comical surprise to each moment of this. His moment of realization filled with a kind of disbelief but also humorous befuddlement in each moment he is cheated as each of the people quickly happily fulfill Herod's Law, which is to perform intercourse before intercourse is performed on you (to censor the film severely). As much as in his reactions there is comedy, that isn't all there is to Alcazar's work. This as each and every infraction against him, there is something in Alcazar's eyes of a growing spitefulness but also eagerness in towards accepting corruption related with this state. This as his grow with greed, and speaks with an even greater bravado of something more than willing to stain his morality a bit to get ahead.
Alcazar's performance that becomes this fantastic type of grotesquery in many ways as he shows the easy embrace of the corruption, as much as he gets consistently slapped in the face even as he begins to take more than a few bribes. This as we see though finally a snapping moment with the spitefulness towards the other corrupt people becomes more overt and frankly he just starts shooting people without hesitation. Alacazar's performance makes this descent though this natural state of corruption as the man now shows the same kind of eagerness, however that eagerness is defined by the ease in which violence seems to solve his problems. This in his eyes bringing this palatable sense of desire for whatever he wants, though still maintaining some comedy in the outrage in his eyes each and every time things don't quite go his way. This crafting a real sense of the lunacy of his situation as the man just flaunts every morality to do what he wants, and Alcazar portrays a most vicious cutthroat quality that reveals itself as this state continues. Alcazar making for a wonderful fool we follow through the nature of Herod's law as he begins to be the one on the better end of things in his mind. This until the ending of the film where we get two brilliant dueling, yet supportive scenes of one another. The first being as the man loses his power again seemingly, and Alcazar's performance is fantastic as we see the old nothing civil servant reveal himself in his performance again, though now gripped in fear. This against though his actual final scene, which feels almost like a prequel to The Perfect Dictatorship, where the man now in true power lording everything. Alcazar delivering his speech now as a completely amoral man owning every moment of his speech as someone who absolutely believes in what he is saying, since now he believes in nothing at all. This is a terrific performance by Damian Alcazar as he brings us along a more unusual but wholly tangible dramatic and comedic arc from a foolish man to a foolish monster.
