Film review: ‘BOB TREVINO LIKES IT’ by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’
Bob Trevino Likes It is a low-key American drama based partly on the experiences of its writer/ director Tracie Laymon. At first it feels very slight, almost like a quirky, amiable tele-movie but it ends up packing a surprising emotional punch.
Barbie Ferreira (Nope) plays Lily Trevino a very easy going and unassertive young woman who is treated with indifference or contempt by just about everyone in her life. After a breakup with her boyfriend and a row with her reprobate father, Bob (French Stewart), she seeks solace on Facebook. Finding another Bob Trevino (John Leguizamo) a man in a slightly strained marriage following a personal tragedy, she begins a messaging correspondence which leads to a life changing connection.
This gentle film deftly balances personal drama and comic touches to create a small but potent story of family bonds and self-discovery. Impressively, the film manages to overcome the unlikely nature of Lily and Bob’s relationship and the questionable concept of a young woman befriending an unknown middle-aged man via the internet.
Ferreira gives Lily both comical awkwardness and touching pathos making her an affecting character as the layers of her unhappy life are revealed. Leguizamo shows a quiet assuredness in the more serious dramatic scenes which is something we don’t often see from him. His portrayal of a man who has been touched by tragedy is genuinely moving. French Stewart is suitably contemptible as Lily’s conniving dirtbag dad although some of his actions feel a little contrived. The characters of Bob’s wife (Rachel Bay Jones) and Lily’s roommate (Lolo Spencer), however, are a little underwritten.
The plot feels slightly thin and ultimately Bob Trevino Likes It is an unabashed tear-jerker but the strength and honesty of the two lead performances give it an emotional impact that will stay with people after the closing credits.
Nick’s rating: ***
Genre: Drama.
Classification: M.
Director(s): Tracie Laymon.
Release date: 20th Mar 2025.
Running time: 102 mins.
Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.
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