Jesus was a good kid growing up in Chicago who was caught with a bad gang who attempted a robbery and got caught. Due to this Jesus spent some time in prison. When he got out he dove headlong into boxing and went right up the rankings. But then in 1996 a new immigration law was passed by the US government that made it extra tough for ex-felons to get US citizenship. Jesus was sent to Mexico.

What's more he could only fight for the title in the United States yet he was unable to get to the U.S. without being granted clemency by the governor of Illinois – where his immediate family still lived.

Split Decision has a double meaning. Not only as a boxing term but in regards to Jesus being split between countries. At the same time he has a difficult time in Mexico because he had never lived there and Spanish was his second language. On top of this as a fighter he wasn't quite accepted as local.

The documentary directed by Marcy Garriott is an hour long and although it is told in a straight forward way [no Errol Morris tricks here] it achieves what it sets out to do, which is show the struggles that a young Mexican/American man with a criminal record has to contend with. His fight is much more than just in the boxing ring.

Jesus and his family are interviewed and all come across as good people neither bitter nor angry at the circumstances but hopeful that he can get back not only to the United States but back into the ring to fight for the World title.

Video:
The documentary is shot on digital video and presented in 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The image looks very sharp.

Audio:
The film is almost all interviews with no narration. The audio presented in Dolby digital 2.0.

Extras: There are two extras. One is titled Epilogue: The Return of El Matador which is just what it says; the continuing adventures of Jesus. The other is a short 4 minute TV interview with Director Marcy Garriott. It's not bad but doesn't necessarily reveal much. The DVD also provides a Spanish language version of the film with everything including the menu in Spanish – the documentary is the same but it has Spanish subtitles when applicable.

Overall: Split Decision is a good documentary about the troubles that a young Mexican/American boxer has with US immigration services. The film is modestly presented with a clear message about the struggles of a great fighter, a good person and a family that has hope for the future. At the heart of the film is an American story.