Bob Trevino Likes It: On Unconventional Friendships Turned Chosen Families
by Sydney Reyes
The best films are ones you come across unexpectedly.
I was rostered for a volunteer shift at the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF 2024) for a screening of a film I hadn’t heard of yet. Situated by the entrance of the cinema, I started the shift by welcoming people in. This dashing person in a bright red suit then comes and takes her photos, looking ecstatic to be there. Little did I know she was going to change my life in 30 minutes.
Bob Trevino Likes It (2024) is a comedy-drama film written and directed by Tracie Laymon—the woman in red. She does a fantastic job of telling a story about Lily Trevino (Barbie Ferreira), an adult going through a rough patch with her father, Robert or Bob for short (French Stewart). Lily deals with this by accidentally befriending someone on Facebook also named Bob Trevino (John Leguizamo). Now able to access Lily’s posts, Bob clicked “like” on every one of them. This small yet impactful action allowed Lily to imagine, even for a second, that her dad likes her stuff. With Lily’s severe lack of paternal love and Bob’s childless marriage, the film explores how the bizarre duo connect and fulfill each other's personal voids. Bob Trevino Likes It is a heartwarming and healing film about chosen families whose posts are always worth liking.
Ferreira, known for her role in the iconic series Euphoria shows us a fresh side. Lily Trevino is an emotionally vulnerable girl, and she’s not afraid to express it. She is eager to please her father but always fails. A small screw-up would have Robert severely criticizing her, calling Lily useless if she cannot play the role of a loving daughter to get him a girlfriend. Robert’s frustration eventually causes him to cut off all communication with Lily. Due to this, Lily is unhappy with her life and lost without a father. With no bright light at the end of the tunnel, she turns to the classic escape: social media.
It is through social media that she finds the other Bob Trevino. She assumes it’s her father’s Facebook account, hence the friend request Bob miraculously accepts. Leguizamo, an iconic Columbian American actor, is perfectly cast as the sensitive and father-like figure of Bob Trevino. His comforting aura and voice has the ability to heal the audience’s inner child. Even my cinema was responsive to his acts of kindness, dad jokes, and words of wisdom. Ferreira and Leguizamo create such a comforting on-screen chemistry. It felt good to see both characters heal something within them through this friendship.
From Lily calling him to help fix her toilet to camping to basketball games, the two form a heartwarming father-daughter friendship. The film also dives into the lifestyles of the characters, creating a deeper connection between the audience and Lily and Bob. It was nice to see good people finally getting what they always wanted. By the end of the film, my entire cinema was moved to tears.
The film puts a big emphasis on chosen families, and how a small act of kindness can change one’s world for the better. A simple “like” can make all the difference, leading to a butterfly effect of wonderful shared moments. Bob Trevino Likes It is such a healing, funny, and uplifting story. My serendipitous encounter with this film was my most memorable moment as a MIFF volunteer this year—along with meeting Tracie Laymon at the screening. I don't usually get to personally thank a film's director when I watch an amazing piece of work. Yet her attendance meant that with tear-streaked eyes, I had the privilege of telling her she created something that changed my life.