Goyo

This wonderful film from Argentina features Nicholas Furtado as a young man afflicted with Asperger's syndrome. The viewer watches him, transform his character through love via a serendipitous meeting with an older woman. Goyo, the title character, not only suffers from a personality disorder, but also suffers for the dysfunction of a family, that smothers him.

The portrayal is subtle and powerful, and its ability to reveal the soul of the character he plays, is probably the strongest reason to watch this film. While eroticism is presented as well as sexuality the script writer has done so in a fashion that is sensitive and tasteful. This is a film you should put on your watchlist.

Critic reviews find flaws in this satisfying exploration of love found between a working class woman, Eva, and an upper class younger man, Goyo, with Aspergers syndrome. Some may have merit, but I did not feel that there was a lack of emotional connection at all, rather that the portrayal seemed genuine. The pair are conflicted over their individual circumstances in ways that seem entirely credible.

An objection I do agree with relates to the character and story line of Eva's husband. Some development to give strength to the portrayal of his character would be appropriate, but on reflection, coming from my own non-Latin culture, Eva's choices seemed obvious. Trying to comment without spoilers, so that may seem obtuse. In short, cultures that favour machismo may give more license to the husband, but not in my world.

Goyo is well portrayed. Some reviewers found it difficult to get beyond the neuro-diverse presentation. I did not. I found both leads to be just right in their roles.

The best line of the movie was have you ever been with someone? And they listed all the characteristics of someone that everyone wants in a perfect companion.

And that person is so different from what we think is a normal person, just because they are unusual. The movie is a perfect depiction of how we cannot see how perfect people different from us can really be. It touched my heart because I met such a person and dismissed them because I was worried what someone else might think.

I still think of them years later and what i may have missed, if only I had not been pressured by society to not accept the perfect gift in front of me.

A truly gentle and wonderful human.

Written and directed by Marcos Carnevale, the movie follows Gregorio Villanueva, a.k.a. Goyo, a museum guide with Asperger's Syndrome who will see his life change after a casual encounter with Eva Montero, the new security guard at the museum.

When we talk about love, we talk about the sharing of traits, for there isn't one without the other. The existence of the former presupposes the latter to later translate into closeness and affection. The movie poses the question of how much of that sharing is needed to render a romantic relationship viable. Eva, played by Nancy Dupláa, after unsuccessful love experiences, is unsure about the feasibility of a relationship with Goyo. This is articulated in the classic narrative fashion, adding layers of meaning while focusing on the reality of a condition that is not often seen in movies.

The idea of conveying a reality that differs from most was what inspired the movie. According to Carnevale, his intention was to make a sequel to Anita (2009), where a girl has a condition that makes her see the world differently. Nicolás Furtado channels the way Goyo experiences the world and the difficulties he faces. From an unfiltered disposition to anxiety episodes and obsessive behaviors, his persona is delivered in a convincing manner. His love for Vincent Van Gogh is visually used to bathe many scenes with the painter's post-impressionist style. Furtado is also, for the most part, responsible for the humor, which, despite the vulgarity of some of it, especially between him and his character's brother, is most of the time effective.

Goyo is an entertaining movie with an unusual protagonist that serves equally as a platform for humor, considerations about interpersonal relationships, and to see the world through different perspectives. Ultimately, it might be guilty of portraying a utopic worldview. Marcos Carnevale is aware of this, but his is a portrayal of how things could or should be if traits divorced from social normativity were embraced with no opposition or challenge and with the knowledge that we are all a little flawed, and that's what's interesting about it.

I absolutely loved this movie. I am someone what's a lot of experience with autistic people of different levels. This is heartwarming, beautiful, and accurate depiction. I could watch it again and again! A y special way to appreciate autism in all of its beautiful facets. The directors view, was exquisite. A very special, humanistic, and soulful movie that undoubtedly will touch many hearts for years to come and so all of the beautiful eccentricities inside someone who is autistic. Gives a special and maybe bird's eye view of autism that leaves a person who's watching the movie, very humbled; indeed.