Films for Breakfast

There’s the family that you’re born into and the family that you choose – this is a fairly exhausted notion, but one that I firmly believe in. There are countless people in my life that I have no blood relation to but feel 100x closer to than my relatives. Choosing to let someone into your life and for them to see you, warts and all, without the familial obligation can be both frightening and cathartic – yet when that love rings true, it is one of the most unstoppable forces in the world. Bob Trevino Likes It, which is based on a true story, takes this conceit and follows a young 20-something-year-old woman named Lily Trevino (Barbie Ferreira) as she struggles to connect with her father Bob (French Stewart) and feels stuck and unseen in life. After her father cuts Lily out of her life and doesn’t return her calls, Lily resorts to finding Bob on Facebook.

What first seems like her father’s Facebook account turns out to be another man named Bob Trevino (John Leguizamo) – he is simply doesn’t have a profile picture. The film wastes no time at lingering in this mistake; both characters accept it within their first interaction, yet decide to maintain a friendship regardless. Lily finds herself drawn to Bob’s kindness and life lessons, as he teaches her things her father never did and also simply becomes a friend who can listen to her. On the flip side, Lily provides company and healing for Bob in areas he least expects it.

For any film that is this character focused, the leads must have good chemistry with one-another. Luckily for Bob Trevino Likes It, Barbie Ferreira and John Leguizamo both turn in fantastic and incredibly vulnerable performances. Ferreira perfectly plays Lily and brings her to life with a great deal of empathy and kindness. I also feel like I never see Leguizamo in roles like this anymore, but it feels like a welcome change of pace as it’s an incredibly heartfelt and warm performance. Together, they share a lot of genuinely touching and beautiful scenes.

There is an incredibly understated approach here that I greatly admire. It never feels like it’s trying to oversell its drama, nor does it feel unbelieable in any way. It simply feels authentic, like you’re peeking into the lives of real people. Of course, it’s based off of a true story – but the screenplay and direction go a long way in making the film feel authentic and not overly dramatized in any way. When the film actually does swing for the fences with its drama, this approach pays off and it feels like it hits 10x harder with authenticity.

If I had to nitpick, my only real complaint with the film is that sometimes it feels as if it tries a little too hard to be amusing and quirky. This isn’t to say the film is without its funny moments, because a majority of them do fit – but there is a bit of tonal whiplash at moments where it wants you to laugh at the simplicity of the characters while also sympathizing with them. This isn’t an impossible feat, but I feel like it could’ve been ironed out a bit more within its presentation.

Overall, that feels like a small nitpick in what is largely an incredibly touching and entertaining film. Ferreira and Leguizamo both delightfully carry this with their magnetic performances and chemistry, and by the end I think the screenplay delivers a unique message about taking care of yourself and finding a family that you choose in this lifetime. This is an incredibly easily recommendation for just about anyone.