PAPI CHULO: A Heartfelt & Moving Little Film

In the new movie Papi Chulo, Matt Bomer plays Sean, a Los Angeles TV weatherman struggling to cope with being a single man after a long-term relationship. He is consumed by thoughts about his ex-partner, Carlos, and attempts to remove the final vestiges of his partner from his life by selling a tree Carlos purchased. Moving the plant from his painted blue deck reveals an unfortunate unpainted blank circle beneath. Sean therefore goes on the search for a labourer to help him with this small, but to him, significant task. This is when he meets Ernesto (Alejandro Patiño), and the two form a friendship that lights up the whole film.

This may sound like the start of a quirky comedy, but alongside the buddy comedy foundation one finds a movie brimming with warmth and heart. The tale it tells is a rather simple one, yet it’s also poignant with flashes of comedy thrown into the mix. The film centres on Sean and Ernesto’s friendship, and it is the casting of these two leads that is the film’s biggest strength.

A Touching Friendship

The chemistry between Bomer and Patiño is the glue that holds the film together. Bomer is excellent as the man stuck in a ‘vicious circle’, as Sean himself describes in the movie. Sean is a lonely and at times desperate man, and Bomer’s performance is appropriately touching. Bomer is one of the most underrated actors working in Hollywood today. He carries an instant likability as well as a light comedic streak, that helps Papi Chulo stand out amongst the crowded scene of indie dramedies. He is matched every step of the way by Patiño as Ernesto. There are a number of scenes where Ernesto speaks to his wife on the phone about the bizarre circumstances he finds himself in, and Patiño shows great comedic timing, bringing gentle, subtle humour to proceedings.

The film is at its best when the two leads are on screen together, leaning into the awkwardness that develops into affection between the pair. They share a lovely moment as they sing together in the back of a taxi, their friendship blossoming into something beautiful before our eyes. These are the moments when the film hits new highs, with the chemistry between the leads sparkling.

The film is smart enough to easily sidestep the pitfalls around Sean hiring Ernesto for this job. It directly addresses the issues and stereotypes in a couple of key moments in the film that never feel out of place or unnecessary. In lesser hands, this whole premise would have felt clunky and even problematic, but writer and director John Butler navigates deep and difficult terrain smoothly more than once.

A Basic Premise Well Executed

Butler has crafted a lean, effective film from a simplistic workmanlike script. The runtime grazes the 90 minute mark, and not a shot is wasted in the whole movie. The film never flags for a moment, due no doubt to strict editing and the efficient writing. It is a prime example of how to create a small-budget independent movie that works.

The plot points themselves are not ground-breaking and are generally signposted but it’s charming enough to bypass any staleness. There’s enough ingenuity and creativeness to keep this film spry and there’s a surprise or two hidden along the way too.

Keeping an Eye on the Weather

The fact that Sean is a weatherman plays a major role throughout the film. It adds extra layers of a grander design beneath the simplistic plot. For example, for a long time Sean’s car radio as he drives around repeats that rain has still not fallen in Los Angeles. However, when he meets Ernesto he finally changes the channel to try something else, something new. We are also witness to one of the best and most powerful uses of pathetic fallacy on screen this year which matches up satisfyingly with Sean’s occupation, as well as his personal journey on-screen. These are subtle additions but they add up to some effective filmmaking.

Conclusion: Papi Chulo

There’s a tenderness to the filmmaking here that permeates throughout the film. Like the hazy LA sun beaming in the back of every scene, this warmth radiates through the screen, giving the movie an extra glow. It is a genuinely sweet but never sickening picture, that is very hard to dislike.

It may very well be a rather simple movie with a simple premise, but Papi Chulo is executed so exceptionally well and clearly with such care, that emotion pours out of the screen. It is a little slice of something great.

Will you be heading out to see Papi Chulo rather than one of the many blockbusters this summer? Let us know in the comments below. 

Papi Chulo was released in US theaters on June 7, 2019. For all international release dates, see here.