Relationships always have the potential to be fraught, but that of a parent and child is perhaps the most uniquely challenging. As such, filmmakers have long been exploring these connections to varying degrees of success. For writer/director Tracie Laymon, Bob Trevino Likes It approaches this potential field of land mines from one of the most difficult angles out there: the narcissistic parent and the grown child realizing that parent's shortcomings. On the whole, she accomplishes what she's set out to do, sending her lead character on a painful but necessary journey to come into her own and break the hurtful cycle her father has kept her in for decades. Unfortunately, the film's underdeveloped script and over-the-top performances keep Bob Trevino Likes It from elevating above middling independent fare.
Barbie Ferreira is Lily, a Gen Zer working as a live-in care aid moving listlessly through life and finding it impossible to connect with her self-centered father, Bob (French Stewart). Every time she tries, he manages to make it about himself, succeeding only in pushing her further away. Feeling dejected and uncertain how to make headway with him, she's poking around online when Facebook suggests a few other Bob Trevinos out there on the internets. Without rhyme or reason, she clicks on the one without a profile photo and the two begin a tentative online chat that stems from their shared last name.
Elsewhere, we meet who's on the other side of that Bob Trevino profile, here played by John Leguizamo, who is always a welcome addition to any ensemble cast. This Bob is kind and hardworking who engages with technology and social media like the boomer he is, but ultimately lives a comfortable and sweet life with wife Jeanie (Rachel Bay Jones). He's earnestly chatting with Lily even as Jeanie cautions him he may be getting catfished. Soon, the two have met IRL and Lily tries and royally fails at keeping Bob #2 from knowing the real reason she reached out to him that fateful day.
All of this could very much be a story that resonates with the emotional intelligence that films like I Love My Dad and its ilk manage, but time and time again throughout Lily's arduous journey, the plot points feel forced and the dialogue comes off as more clunky than authentic. At a critical moment when Bob #2 realizes what's going on with Lily and why she connected with him, there's a reasonable amount of conflict. But the way he makes a 180-degree turn in his sentiments, offering to stay friends even though she's just put him off in a rather significant way feels unearned and unwarranted. These hiccups in character connections may seem like a quibble, but when they happen time and time again, it takes one out of what should otherwise be an engaging human story.
Credit to Laymon, the film is at least willing to raise the stakes on Lily, as her situation continues to devolve and her relationship with Bob #2 takes a serious turn (no spoilers!). This heft starts to make up for the film's choppy plot, offering a way in to finally care about whether Lily survives this emotional growth spurt or not. As performances go, Ferreira is all-in as Lily, often going big with her most emotional moments. It's not always a bad thing, but one wonders if she could have taken a cue or two from Leguizamo's more nuanced performance (a true pro, that one).
It's always heartening to see an original independent film with lived-in characters make its way to audiences, and for that reason alone, it's worth seeking out Bob Trevino Likes It. At the very least, you'll be supporting a small project that deserves eyes on it. That the film ultimately comes up short in the way of emotional payoff for the investment is unfortunate, but not a dealbreaker.
Bob Trevino Likes It is now in theaters.
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