Macho

A bad mash up between Ugly Betty and Project Runway. After twenty minutes I gave up and scanned ahead to see if it was worth it to keep going. It was not. Total farce!

Macho (2016) has a fun premise: Evaristo (Evo), a fashion designer who's built his career on pretending to be gay, is on the verge of being discovered as a "closet heterosexual." To save his business empire, Evo decides to pretend to date his gay assistant, Sandro.

It starts out as an okay movie, but about halfway through, it really nosedives. Not only was this movie not funny, not only did the acting suck, but one of its scenes actually upset me so much that I had to pause and walk away. One moment Evo and Sandro are hanging out together and getting along great to a backdrop of happy music. The next moment, Sandro is curled up on the ground and Evo is kicking him--really violently kicking him--and yelling homophobic slurs at him. A few seconds later Evo apologizes, implying as he does so that he wasn't in control of himself, and exits with an, "I'm bipolar!"

To rub salt in the wound, Evo also talks in this movie about the "gay privileges" that motivated him to pretend to be gay while building up his business. The man who beats up a guy for being gay has the nerve to talk about gay privilege.

What's more, it never seems to matter that Evo did this. Afterwards, the movie continues to pursue a rom-com storyline between Evo and Sandro and does not really ever address the fact that he physically assaulted Sandro. In another genre, this could be the start of a story about domestic violence. As it was, I still felt that there was nothing comedic about this very jarring scene.

I understand that much of the comedy of this movie comes from (a) the various exaggerations of emotion and plot points and (b) the premise of Evo being a homophobic straight man faced with having to date a man because of the hole he's dug himself into with lying. I get that. I expected some of that going into this movie. I read the summary on Netflix. But this moment crossed a line, and the movie never makes up for it. I don't know if it even could.

There are many other things that made this movie suck (I won't go into it all--spoilers), but that was definitely the worst part, for me as a queer person. I would not recommend this movie.

This movie doesn't reflect how Mexicans think about the LGBT+ community... don't get your panties in a bunch. It's just a movie. It has some funny moments, the plot isn't great and, as a comedy/parody/satire, it's meant to be over the top and, in a way, ridiculous. Also as a gay man, I didn't find it homophobic or insulting; just a bit stupid. It is not depicting real life. Don't take it literally, too seriously or as a real life depiction. It's not a great story, or a great movie for that matter. It has nice film locations and OK acting. The first half is much better than the end, which was a little disappointing. Watch it if you have a couple of hours to spare.

It is such a struggle to find good comedy! Nothing gets even a smirk out of me these days! I would pay in the hundreds of dollars for a film that gets to belly laughter, uncontrollable spasms of mirth and joy!

The Redeeming Act of Laughter - oh so therapeutic, is exorcised from our lives because of Political Correctness, because we live in The Age of Outrage. No one can make anything really funny any more without checking off who they will not offend - and that list is so long because everyone is offended by something!

The result is neutered and cringe worthy pain that passes for comedy!

No artist can make anyone really laugh with gay abandon these days because comedy is about making fun of something or someone. Social Justice Warriors will call everyone who makes fun of something a "fascist". Today they expel someone who micro-trauma'd them by raising their hand and disagreed with them in class.

Outrage is everywhere today, on the political left and right, with old people and young people, people of all races and economic backgrounds. We may live in the first period of human history where every demographic feels that they are somehow being violated and victimized.

Comedy is the true Victim of the Age of Outrage. So it is with so much joy I discovered a movie yesterday - "Macho". The world of fashion is horrified to discover that a famous gay fashion designer of women's clothing is actually Heterosexual! He has slept with many women in the past eighteen months - and NO MEN!!! Under advisement, the Designer reluctantly agrees to date the handsome new office boy to keep hide his natural straight tendencies closeted.

The entire film is the Highest form of Dry Wit, Delicious Irony and double twist Sarcasm, oh my! Laced with layers of fun, creamed with the performance of the lead in a challenging but fun role, I salute the courage of the film makers.

Please it is not the masses or popularity that always signal what is High Achievement. It is the admiration of a few true followers who completely 'GET' what you are saying. Bravo! Do this again!

Interesting movie about defining sexual identity. Not a crazy comedy: the topic is handled seriously, but still keeping the movie fun. Beautiful settings and costumes!

If you like fashion, men acting like women, men liking men and complexity of sexuality, this is a must watch.