Bob Trevino Likes It

The little 2024 film that could, earning a raft of audience and critical praise as well as a large collection of festival awards at some of the industries premiere events, one suspects that the life of Tracie Laymon's debut feature Bob Trevino Likes It is only just beginning as more audiences discover this based on a true story tale for themselves.

Based on Laymon's own personal experiences after meeting with an online contact while searching for a connection with her real life father, Trevino clearly comes from heartfelt place and while it walks the same path of many similar low-budget character driven films of the past, it's hard not to be moved and inspired by this small but effective offering that is worked brilliantly by its two leads.

Finally getting a chance to test herself in the feature film landscape after making her mark in hit HBO series Euphoria, a lot of Trevino's success rests on the shoulders of Barbie Ferreira and she is more than up for the task.

A tricky role for any performer to deliver on, with Lily being a complex and flawed iteration of Laymon's own-self, Ferreira does a fantastic job of keeping Lily on the right side of the ledger while at the same time creating a memorable chemistry with her off-sider John Leguizamo who is as good as his been in years as the softly spoken and kind-hearted Bob, reminding us all that when he is given the right material and he himself invests, he's one of Hollywood's most reliable character actors.

With her two leads on fine form there's any easy-going nature and feel to Trevino yet while viewers may feel as though they have everything pegged as the early stages march on, Laymon has some tricks up her sleeve with where Trevino goes and how it goes there, creating an emotionally resonate and powerful watching experience that is sure to surprise many unsuspecting viewers unaware of what Trevino has too say about life, love, friendship and finding ones way in this big scary world.

In a day and age where small independent films like Trevino feel like a dying breed as they are forced into fighting for space in cinemas or standing out in crowded streaming marketplaces, Laymon's relatable and humanly focussed dramedy isn't a revelatory experience but its a timely reminder of the power of films of this shape and size.

Final Say -

Sure to discover a wide-reaching and passionate fanbase as a larger audience accesses the film on home media, Bob Trevino Likes It is a heartfelt and heart-warming little tale that features two fine central performances anchoring proceedings.

3 1/2 possessed toilets out of 5.

Straight after watching it I had to write this review. First, Ferreira was amazing in this, and indeed all the actors were great. Really film was about a woman who was abandoned as a child by her mother, and raised by an uncaring and selfish father. She gets by, but is lonely. On the internet she meets a guy with the same name as her father, and he shows her platonic love.

I loved the original story, and the demonstration of caring between people who are all suffering with their own problems. A beautifully crafted film. Nice cinematography, beautifullly emotive. Such a touching film and for me a real gem. While sad, it shows a real positive aspect to humam hearts. Please watch this, it's great.

What started out as a little cringe in the beginning, evolved into one of the most heartfelt emotional movies I've ever seen in my life. I was openly sobbing and I couldn't hold it in. I was watching with a friend and usually I can hold in emotions but man, I couldn't this time.

I LOVED THIS MOVIE. I felt the acting and performance of the lead woman on a deep level. I believed everything. I mean you need to watch this from start to finish and don't stop. It will get you. You will feel it in your bones by the end. What a pleasant surprise this movei was.

It's about loneliness, human kindness and compassion for others.

"Bob Trevino Likes It" surprised me. I was drawn to it because I like John Leguizamo's work. He's really stellar as a working class man with manifold layers; a man isolated by grief, work, and his own inhibitions. Barbie Ferreira (Euphoria) is exceptional as Lily, a lost and lonely soul, aching for connection, lacking in confidence. The depth of compassion that is forged between these two characters draws the viewer in from the beginning. Its development ensures the viewer will want to see how and if their bond will continue.

This film has an excellent cast, a wonderfully original screenplay, and isbeautifully acted. It's emotional without being sentimental. The main characters have serendipitous chemistry. The supporting cast are equally strong and important to plot development and thematic elements. It's moving, quirky, funny, and clever.

People are rarely what the appear to be from the outside & "Bob Trevino Likes It" reveals this theme, among others, with aplomb. Recommend!

I have been teaching film for almost 30 years, and this is one of the best films I have ever seen. Filmmaker Tracie Laymon creates a truly heartfelt story and film with characters and emotions that are real and deeply felt by the viewer. She also sprinkles in moments of delightful comedy to keep the film real and varied, after all, life has sad moments and funny moments. She is also helped by a wonderful cast (especially Barbie Ferreira and John Leguizamo) who, like their director/screenwriter, are telling this story from their hearts and have wonderful chemistry on screen. I also appreciated how Tracie didn't fall into typical movie tropes that you might see in a film of this type (sorry, no spoiler alerts!). This is also a reason I love Indie films so much, they are simple, personal stories that tug at our hearts rather than our visual senses like so many blockbuster movies do today. Once released and distributed, I will absolutely add this film to my curriculum. It is a perfect example of filmmaking and storytelling at its best, and I can't wait to see it again and share it with my students! Absolutely beautiful film!!