Viva is a drama about a young man coming to terms with his sexuality when he’s reunited with his estranged father.
Héctor Medina plays Jesus, a young man living alone in Havana, Cuba. He makes ends meet by cutting hair in his apartment and tending to the wigs of a drag queen called Mama (Luis Alberto García). His best friend, Cecilia (Laura Alemán), only comes around when she needs something. His mother has passed away and his father (Jorge Perugorría), a well-known boxer, is in prison for killing a man. The only other person in his life is a man who hangs out a park known for prostitution.
To make extra money, Jesus tries out for Mama’s drag show. Mama takes him on and asks what his drag name will be. Jesus glances at a magazine called Viva and uses that as his name.
During one of Viva’s performances, she approaches a burly man at the bar and flirts with him. The man says he’s his father, then punches Viva in the face. As Mama cleans Jesus up, Jesus explains that his father was arrested when he was a child, so he didn’t recognize him. And when Jesus goes home, he finds his father sleeping in his bed.
The rest of the film deals with Jesus and his father, Angel, looking to renew their bond as father and son. Angel is adamant that Jesus does not perform as Viva again, and Jesus is so hungry for a parental figure that he goes along with it. But he doesn’t make enough money cutting hair to make ends meet, so his only other option is prostitution.
Too old and out of shape to return to the ring, Angel spends his days drinking and visiting the ring where he once practiced. One of the boxing coaches recognizes him, and Angel unsuccessfully tries to get work coaching. Instead of trying to find other employment, he continues drinking.
Watching Jesus try to reconcile what he needs with having a relationship with his father is heartbreaking. At one point Mama does try to rescue Jesus from Angel, but with no luck. The need for a paternal figure is stronger than his friendship with Mama, so Jesus refuses the help.
The film has a realistically gritty look and the acting is on point. And while it’s difficult to watch Jesus turn to prostitution, the direction was too heavy handed to elicit the desired effect. It was a shame because everything else was done so well.
Viva is an incredibly well-made film. Although the story is interesting, the end doesn’t pack the emotional punch it needs.