The movie is set in Caracas, and I've got to say, it definitely isn't going to be for everyone. The way the story builds up is actually pretty strong, but for me, the point of it all felt a little fuzzy. It's a story packed with gay desire and a lot of violence, giving you a really interesting look at the city through its two main characters. However, what’s actually driving each of them stays in a bit of a gray area, which was a little bothering. The story follows a middle-aged gay man named Armando who spends his time cruising the streets and buses looking for young, working-class guys. He pays them to come back to his place, but he gets his kicks just by watching them pose half-naked without ever actually touching them. One of these meetings goes south fast when a street teenager named Elder brutally beats Armando up, steals his cash, and makes a run for it. A few days later, Armando tracks the boy down, and Elder steals from him again, but for some reason, Armando becom...
The story follows a middle-aged gay man named Armando who spends his time cruising the streets and buses looking for young, working-class guys. He pays them to come back to his place, but he gets his kicks just by watching them pose half-naked without ever actually touching them. One of these meetings goes south fast when a street teenager named Elder brutally beats Armando up, steals his cash, and makes a run for it. A few days later, Armando tracks the boy down, and Elder steals from him again, but for some reason, Armando becomes obsessed with him. He seems to want to do everything he can to win the kid over. When he finds out Elder has been beaten up by a gang, he brings him home and nurses him back to health. Elder starts to feel some empathy but still tries to rob him, which finally breaks Armando, who tells him to leave. After that, Elder starts to warm up to him, and Armando becomes like a surrogate uncle, supporting him financially while Elder hangs out with him. They talk a lot about their fathers, and Armando even admits he wishes his dad was dead. One night, after Elder finally lets things get physical between them, he goes out and kills Armando's father. In a wild twist, Armando then turns Elder over to the police.
This film is really graphic when it comes to the rough street life in Caracas. It digs into ideas like masculinity, love, family, and being dependent on someone, all while showing a pretty disturbing picture of a society where money can buy basically anything. Even though there’s something about the movie that keeps you hooked—even with very little talking—it’s also really frustrating. We’re never told why Armando has such a messed-up relationship with his father. Was he just using Elder the whole time? And why on earth did he give him to the cops? Armando usually likes to watch his "models" from a distance and prefers being across the room, even pulling away when Elder tries to be physically close. So, was it a case where once Armando finally had him, he just wanted to get rid of him? It’s an interesting character study where Armando keeps his emotions on ice while Elder wears his on his sleeve, whether it’s tenderness or a violent temper. We’re supposed to believe Elder kills the father because he hates his own dad, who used to beat him as a kid.
The two actors did a great job, and their chemistry actually worked. They both eventually learn to trust each other after Elder tries to use Armando for money over and over, but just when things seem okay, Armando completely flips! I'm not sure if it was revenge for all the money Elder stole or something else. It's clear that the manipulative Armando was probably a victim himself at some point, but the way he grooms and then betrays the teenager is really disturbing and makes the movie feel much bleaker than I expected. The world they built with so little dialogue was starting to feel right, but that open ending just didn't work for me. Honestly, it feels like the kind of movie made specifically for film festivals. (6/10)
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