Bob Trevino Likes It (2024)

Bob Trevino Likes It Review

Fast forward a few months, and I cannot tell you how thrilled I was that I had agreed to attend the Seattle International Film Festival, where it was programmed as one of their spotlight films. I got into the premiere screening at SIFF, snagged an aisle seat and Tracie Laymon herself the filmmaker! sat down next to me. She recognized some of my Instagram stories thanks to the SIFF media team re-posting them (I’ve since run into her several times and have never seen her NOT smiling), picked up on a couple things, came over and said hi TO ME! (It’s usually me that says hi after watching a movie.) Immediately struck by her infectious charm and enthusiasm, I told her this whole story, which seemed to make her happy; I also found out it was HER first SIFF as well, so with that in common it just feels like fate we were supposed to meet at Seattle’s historic Uptown Theatre for her local premiere.

I say all this because there are lengths I will go to see a movie. Fly across North America to sit in the dark for 10-12 hours at Scotiabank Cineplex in Toronto? Sure. Take a bus up to Whistler and back on the same night? Yep. Day trip on a ferry boat just to watch one ahead of time at press screening then take an evening ferry back that night just so I can write its review a week early? My editor sure loves when I do stuff like that. This is my passion, and every bit makes sense when something like BOB TREVINO comes along and retroactively validates literally everything about it.

Official Festival Notes: Friendship can come from the oddest places, like a Facebook profile with no picture, a contractor who fixes your flooding toilet, or a stranger with a familiar name. Inspired by true events, Bob Trevino Likes It stars Barbie Ferreira (“Euphoria,” Unpregnant) as Lily Trevino, a 25-year-old loner abandoned by her mother when she was young and feeling even further abandoned when her manipulative narcissist father cuts her off. Desperate for sage advice, someone to lean on, or at least some words of reassurance, Lily chats online with a local man (John Leguizamo) who shares her father’s name: Bob Trevino. Struggling with his own disconnection from his wife after the loss of their baby, his thankless job, and his unrealized dreams of being an astronomer, Bob finds himself easily falling into a paternal role and developing a close bond with Lily. Leguizamo and Ferreira’s chemistry is warm and lively, shining most brightly through the little acts of kindness, thoughtfulness, and humor they offer to each other. Bob Trevino Likes It is about the journey of healing after trauma, the explosive sadness and riotous laughter that guides us through, and the value in the family we choose along the way.

Reaction

There couldn’t be any better time than this for BOB TREVINO LIKES IT to come out; I felt like we all needed somebody to extend our hand outwards towards us while saying that everything will be fine in life.This movie is one indie gem which took over my soul completely for its whole durationof 102 minutes; it presents an original idea equally real as well as cinematic but also eager to please,told by first-time filmmaker whose storytelling skills are just exceptional so much sothat she knows how best to wring every bit of emotion from this material.I loved this film so much that I watched it not once but twice when I attended the Seattle International Film Festival.

A Facebook friendship becoming a reality is something that has probably happened to most of us, but it’s the miracle of Bob (John Leguizamo) and Lily (Barbie Ferreira) connecting at the right time where all she needs is someone to reach out their hand towards her and help. She also tries connecting with her real dad while making connections among her friends. Lily is flawed, however she’s in learning process.

Everything worked about BOB TREVINO LIKES IT. This movie takes huge risks by telling an uncommon beautiful story about friendship that could easily have been a cheap tear-jerker, however the tears and laughter are earned throughout this film.

What holds this picture together is one of the best youth performances I’ve EVER seen in a movie from Barbie Ferreira. She’s hilarious, she’s flawed but she also learns from Bob and her parents. She’s matched by a career best John Leguizamo as surrogate Bob, an unrecognizable French Stewart as not so great REAL dad Bob, along with a unique array of supporting characters that all have their three dimensions.

All of this comes from the mind and soul of natural born filmmaker Tracie Laymon. Based on a personal experience with a Facebook friend she met many years ago, she tells it with confidence; takes her time building the connection but also keeping it absolutely real. There were two specific sequences so honest that I couldn’t fight back tears and just let them flow. I knew I was going to like this movie based off all the Austin accolades it had, but was NOT expecting a complete cinema experience that has every single thing coming its way in 2024.

Again, not a review and more of my personal reaction and reflection on one of the most memorable moments I’ve had in 20+ years covering film festivals. More so than anything else you’ll read today this is an absolute plea to find this movie when it comes your way, share it with loved ones because my biggest hope is you love it as much as I loved watching it. This movie truly got past being a film writer for me and is why I love movies to begin with. My congratulations to Ms. Laymon and her team for bringing edge back to American Indie cinema after some really tough years for smaller character based movies where even just a simple interaction between two people at a diner table can make you love movies all over again. There is hope after all.”

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