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So help me. I love Bob Trevino.
Written and directed by Tracie Laymon, Bob Trevino Likes It tells the story of Lily (Barbie Ferreira), a woman who works as a caretaker but needs some care of her own. Having been abandoned by her mother at a young age, Lily’s life is marred by the constant verbal manipulations of her father, Bob Trevino (French Stewart). But, while searching for her father on the internet, she discovers another man named Bob Trevino (John Leguizamo) and the two begin to build a friendship. As their relationship begins to grow, the two begin to see that they’re both worthy of love, even if life seems to suggest otherwise.
The truth is that Bob Trevino is the sort of film that feels like everything is going to go to a very dark place. It has all the pieces in place for that sort of narrative. A young woman, desperate for a fatherly figure in her life. A man clearly experiencing distance from his wife due to grief. Camping trips. The pain of abuse. Any combination of these pieces is a recipe for emotional disaster, especially for an independent film.
But this isn’t that sort of story.
At the risk of stepping into spoiler territory, Bob Trevino Likes It has no interest in sitting in the dark side of humanity. Without giving plot details, Bob Trevino already assumes that the world is fueled by toxicity. And it’s looking for hope within it.
That’s not to say that this isn’t a film fueled by conflict. Lily’s relationship with her father may be one of the emotionally cruelest that we’ve seen onscreen in recent years. Manipulating his daughter at every possible opportunity, the real Bob is a horrifying figure yet, somehow, feels more honest because of it. (Credit must be given to an unrecognizable French Stewart for bringing out the worst in Bob Sr., yet still giving us hope that he’s going to be redeemable.)
As a result, the emotional damage done to Lily has compounded over the years. Although she works in the care industry, she believes the worst in herself. In fact, she simply wants someone to show her basic human compassion.
Enter the new Bob. And a new world.
In Leguizamo’s Bob, Lily finds a person who genuinely cares about her well-being. There’s a sense of safety in their relationship that has the potential to bring healing. And that’s what makes Bob Trevino the film so special. Laymon has woven a tale that speaks to our need for connection and personal empathy. Whether it’s through the internet or person-to-person, our human need for relationships is on full display here.
In some ways, the film feels like a fairytale; a work of fiction so emotionally honest that it can’t possibly be real. (The fact that his stems from Laymon’s personal experience feels almost too wild.) After all, this isn’t the sort of world that we know, especially at this moment in time.
Yet Leguizamo and Ferreira’s relationship is so genuine and pure that one can’t help want that for themselves as well. This is the sort of love that saves space for healing for everyone involved. With humility in his masculinity, Leguizamo exudes trustworthiness. (In fact, he seems so trustworthy that we wait for his personal fall.) He is the type of male figure that many people yearn for: aware of his brokenness yet willing to invest in another.
But it’s Ferreira that lights up the film. In an incredible performance, Ferreira breathes life into Lily. Our heartbreaks from the emotional scars that are inflicted upon her and tear up at the moments that help them heal. Together, the two are simply charming. There’s an awkward joy that grows between that doesn’t feel natural yet also feels necessary.
To tell you more runs the risk of ruining the journey with these characters but, suffice to say, Bob Trevino Likes It is as authentically heartfelt a film as one can hope for. This is the sort of story that reminds us of what it means for us to live together as human beings. Or, more importantly, who we can be as human beings.
So, yes. I love Bob Trevino. And I’m fairly certain that you will too.
Bob Trevino Likes It is available in theatres on Friday, March 21st, 2025.
