BOB TREVINO LIKES IT

US, 2024, 102 minutes, Colour.

Barbie Ferreira, John Leguizamo, French Stewart, Lauren ‘Lolo’ Spencer, Rachel Bay Jones.

Directed by Tracie Laymon.

Here is a drama with touches of comedy that many young adults might identify with, find entertaining as well as challenging. But, here is also a drama with touches of comedy that older audiences might identify with, memories, disappointments, hopes. And, while the audience will be smiling quite often, by the end, there will also be tears.

But, who is Bob Trevino? In fact, during the film, there will be two. The first is a rather embittered widower, living in aged care, continually trying to strike up relationships and ensure companionship and comfort for his future. Mention of the second Bob Trevino later. The first one has a daughter, Lily, an impressive performance by Barbie Ferreira, something of an awkward , young woman looking after a chair confined client, great difficulty in relating to her father, his emotional verbal attacks on her, making demands of her, her exasperation with him. Of course, quite some basis for identifying with her.

But, she relies on social media, living with her phone, texting, reaching out for somebody to respond, some connections, some followers. More basis for identifying with her. One night, feeling frustrated, she searches for anybody else with the name, Bob Trevino. She finds one. And he replies. Hence the title and the clicking of “Like” when we receive a pleasing text.

The screenplay has introduced us to him before the contact with . He  is Lily a builder, married, a sad story about the death of their child at 21 months. He is a loner, preferring to stay at home, not many friends. And his wife spends her time with her hobby, creating photo book mementos, even entering national competitions and winning.

So, this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. The two first meet when there is a toilet crisis for the chair confined woman, and Lily asks Bob to come to fix it. And so the beginnings of conversations, revelations about the past, mutual support, Lily clearly finding her new friend, Bob Trevino, as a surrogate father figure. And, he is played was quite some tenderness and sensitivity by John Leguizamo.

Events do not quite turn out as we might have anticipated. There is a further falling out with her father who hands Lily a cost list of all the expenses he has incurred in bringing her up. Then he asks her for money to help him with the new search for a companion. Confident after meeting her friend, she stands up to her father.

Then further events certainly do not quite turn out as we might have anticipated, leading to some anxiety, some sorrow, and some very moving scenes with Bob’s wife.

One of the phrases to describe this kind of film is that it is a “slow-burner”. It begins rather quietly, and, when the audience surrenders to it, it touches the emotions, offers us many insights into human nature, something of a small film for all seasons.

(In fact, it is based on the experiences of the writer-director’s own search for her father.)

1. The title? Internet and texting, likes and loves?
2. The plot based on the writer-director’s experience? Heartfelt?
3. Popularity of the film, nominations and many awards? Humanitarian?
4. 21^st-century Internet story, the focus on phones and computers, in new connections, dependencies, texting, instant responses, eager awaiting of responses, likes, postings being ignored? Communication of photos? The ability to take photos instantly and post them?
5. Billy’s story? Her age, experience, appearance, happy, sad, friendly? Filling in the background story, the parents, her mother, addictions, disappearance? The father, self-focused, bringing up Lily, later presenting her with a list of costs, is like, in care, the connections with the women, photos on his phone, the dates, photos cutting out Lily from them, his angers with his daughter, the clashes, the conversations, the meals, his frugal attitude toward Spain, coupons? Breaking off communication with her? Her continued texting?
6. Lily and her work, with Daphne, in the chair, care for her, conversations, Daphne confronting her, urging her to go to the rage room, smash, primal scream? Lily unable to?
7. Lily texting, finding another Bob Trevino, the audience getting to know Bob, Mexican background, marriage to Jeannie, the story of the death of their child up to 21 months, the photos, Jeannie continually working scrapbooks, in competitions and winning? The sharing the winners scrapbook and photos of the children with Bob? His work, building houses, Harlan as his partner, Cavalier attitudes? The later visit of the inspector, an hour and a half late, while driving away, Hardin and his anxiety about safety, of having kept the books, the clash, I am dismissing him, Bob acting on it?
8. Bob, his personality, all his age, the death of the child, relationship with his wife? The going to Las Vegas to the partition? Her urging him out, his staying home to watch a movie? The encounter with Lily, responding to her posts, the effect on him, the effect on her? The plausibility of the communication?
9. Daphne, the toilet incident, her finding, his arrival, fixing the toilet, the discussions, going to the two shop, the continued communication?
10. The suggestion for the cup of coffee, they’re talking, the story of her father taking her dog, going to the vet, the photos with the dog? Lily and her happiness, the conversations, revealing herself, the effect on Bob, revealing himself, the photos?
11. Billi’s father contacting her, presenting her with the list of costs, his wanting money from her, his self-centredness, wanting dates and a companion? Lily and her stand, leaving him, going to the rage room, with Daphne and the smashing and the scream?
12. The audience seeing Bob, in the car, a heart attack, hospital, coma, the visit from Jeannie, the kiss?
13. Lily, her anxiety, waking in the night, the continued contacts, going to the house and try to get in, the police arriving?
14. The discovery of Bob’s death, with Daphne, Daphne is challenged to her about leaving on the dot, Daphne wanting to go with her to the funeral? The arrival, Jeannie present, Lily and her grief, Bob in the coffin? Jeannie, serious, asking Lily and Daphne to follow her, her change of demeanour, presenting her with the scrapbook, the text messages, the photos, Lily and her joy, Bob’s final message to her? (And audience tears?)
15. A pleasing portrait of Bob? Her pleasing portrait of Lily, her advantages and disadvantages, age, opening up, taking a stance with her father, her future?