The Rectangular View

The Story:

Papi Chulo is a buddy comedy with a pleasant surprise. Matt Bomer plays Sean, a weatherman forced to take some time off after having a breakdown on the air. His boyfriend has left him and he’s a mess because of it. Sean’s coworkers are concerned for his mental wellbeing, as is his boss. We’re never told exactly what happened between Sean and his boyfriend, Carlos, but we know it had a devastating impact on Sean.

Sean goes home and sells the final household item that reminds him of Carlos, a potted plant on the deck. Once the plant is removed, Sean realizes that the deck needs painting. Seeing a group of Hispanic men looking for work on the sidewalk, he hires Ernesto, a middle-aged man, to do the job.

Ernesto, played by Alejandro Patiño, barely speaks English, and Sean’s Spanish is equally as bad. Sean is also an emotional mess and Ernesto vaguely reminds him of Carlos. Not long after Ernesto starts painting, Sean begins using him for companionship and someone to talk to. What begins as a chat over lunch, turns into riding in a rowboat in the park, a hike, and culminates with Sean bringing Ernesto to a party.

Ernesto spends the first third of the movie confused and uncomfortable. He calls his wife a few times and tells her what’s going on, and she thinks that perhaps he’s like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. There were times when Ernesto bordered on stereotype, but the director and writer, John Butler, does a good job ensuring that he’s not the butt of the joke.

Patiño plays Ernesto very well, saying more with facial expressions than words. Bomer is great as an emotionally broken man unaware of anything past his own psychological pain. I was pleasantly surprised that Bomer could pull it off so well, especially after having seen him in Boys in the Band. Both men play their characters so well that you become endeared to them.

As the story begins to feel a bit stale, there’s a major twist that pulls everything together. It would be a sin to give the surprise away, especially since it’s what brought this film from okay to great.

Final Thoughts:

While Papi Chulo is not the best movie, I really enjoyed it. There’s nothing visually special about the film, but Butler knows how to tell a story. The twist comes at just the right time and gives Papi Chulo the emotional bang it needs. The comedy only elicits chuckles and grins, but the story packs a great punch and the acting overall is good.