Tony Gatlif (Latcho Drom) delivers an explosion of musical energy with the story of Max, a ten-year-old fan of Gypsy jazz who plunges into manouche (French Gypsy) life, befriending a guitar virtuoso and a clever Gypsy girl named Swing. Gatlif is of Algerian Gypsy descent, and his love of the culture shows in the details, from the earthy cast to the film's unadorned trailer park setting and a roving camera that gives Swing a documentary feel. The story is captivating, but the music is the film's heart and soul, making this lively, culturally rich film impossible to resist.