Mi mejor amigo

Mi mejor amigo (2018) is an Argentinian movie shown in the United States with the translated title My Best Friend. The film was written and directed by Martín Deus.

The movie stars Angelo Mutti Spinetta as Lorenzo, a shy, quiet young man who is chosen last for sports, but who is a classical guitarist and an avid reader.

His life is changed by the arrival of Caito, portrayed by Lautaro Rodríguez. Caito is tough, muscular, and well versed in life on the street. He's the exact opposite of Lorenzo, but they still become friends.

Caito has been sent from his father's home in Buenos Aires to stay with Lorenzo's parents. He's had serious troubles, brought on by his impulsive behavior. He pushes limits every chance he can, and those chances often involve Lorenzo.

Both actors are excellent. Director Deus deserves credit for knowing how to bring their talent to the screen.

The film is subtle in the way it portrays the bonding of the young men. Actually, the entire movie has a subtlety about it. No one is a villain, no one sets impossible standards, and no violence occurs. It's a gentle film, but there's always a sense of foreboding about it. You'll have to watch it to learn what motivates Lorenzo, Caito, and Lorenzo's parents.

We saw this film at Rochester's Little Theatre. It was shown at ImageOut, the excellent Rochester LGBT Festival. This was its New York State premiere. It will work well on the small screen. Right now this movie has an IMDb rating of 8.4, which is remarkably high. However, less than 100 people have rated it, so that number could change. That high rating reflects my own thoughts about the film. I hope the rating remains high, so more people will want to see it. It's worth finding and viewing. It will work well on the small screen.

P.S. Watch for Mariana Anghileri in the unheralded supporting role of Lorenzo's mother. She's a great actor as well as being very beautiful.

Though not your stereotypical feel-good, happy-ending, first-love LGBT film, this film definitely shows a situation, I believe, more common of homosexual coming of age. The angst and frustration of unrequited first love towards an often times unsuspecting, hetersexual youth.

Adolescence is strange and difficult enough without the extra measure of finding attraction in something not socially understood or accepted.

While fraternal love is beautiful in itself, it is made to feel tainted by the added homosexual impulses felt by the lead character causing him to question his integrity.

This main male character. who is gay. is dealing with the dilemma of having not just 'normal' feeling for another male who is heterosexual, but 'un-normal' feelings for his friend as well.

Though his intentions and empathy for his friend are pure, he feels clouded by his other emotions and is left to grapple with the confusion of his competing motivations for closeness to his friend.

I found this film very nuanced, and intelligent. Not just another cookie-cutter coming of age inspirational LGBT story.

I hope future films will stop duplicating the tried-and-tested, cookie-cutter LGBT films, and continue to stray from the now stereotyped image being portrayed of LGBT existence. Just as with all other experiences, the LGBT experience is extremely varied, and needs to be expressed as so.

This film is an example of the newly recognized, complicated feelings and emotions during adolescence. While unrequited love in our young age is not unique to LGBT youth, it takes on added layers, and is quite worthy of being reflected upon and untangled on the screen.

If you enjoyed "Moonlight", you'll enjoy this. Another quiet gem of a movie that doesn't require constant talking to get its point across.

The actors, especially the boy who plays Lorenzo, are terrific at communicating non-verbal. It's not a complicated story, but more an emotional exploration of the characters' relationships and how they develop. Be prepared to not get the ending you may be wishing for...but that only adds to the movie's more realistic interpretation of how life doesn't always turn out the way we expect.

I'd rather watch a well-done character study like this than another stupid explosion-filled Hollywood flick any day.

A subtle film which tales a friendship story between 2 teenagers that everything seems to oppose. Lorenzo is benevolent, empathetic and sometimes impetuous. He lives within a strict although serene and convivial environment. In short, a fairly quiet life in Patagonia. In contrast, Caito is calm, shy, not prolific in words and unpredictable. Indeed, he learned to live alone, without being accountable to anyone. A life significantly more difficult within a drug-and-prison environment.

Although they are fundamentally different, they will learn to understand, help and appreciate each other. The beginning of a deep friendship filmed with subtlety.

Even if the movie takes place in Patagonia, it's not a remake of Brokeback Mountain. The landscapes are perhaps similar but, in my humble opinion, the analogy stops right there.

Lovely and gentle little film. It is not the stereotypical gay movie as it is only capturing the first unrequited love most of us have experienced in our early life. The leading boy actor is excellent.