In the crowded year of commercial cinema, Bob Trevino Likes It stands out as one of my absolute favourites.
It’s a film about humanity, connection and the wounds we carry and the moments that heal us. Emotional, honest, unforgettable.
Part of what makes it so powerful is that it’s based on a true story from writer-director Tracie Laymon, who, while searching for her estranged father on Facebook, accidentally connected with a stranger who shared his name, Bob Trevino, and ended up forming a heartfelt friendship.
The performances are deeply emotional, never sliding into exaggeration but instead staying grounded in quiet truths. The characters are carrying pain in ways that feel painfully real.
At the centre of it all is Barbie Ferreira, the lead actress, who delivers one of the most quietly devastating performances I’ve seen in years. She makes the character feel like someone you might actually know, and her pure kindness is what makes the story hurt even more.
What impressed me most is how she balances vulnerability with strength. You never feel like she’s playing for sympathy, she’s just trying to exist and that honesty makes every scene land harder.
But the film wouldn’t work without John Leguizamo as Bob Treviño himself. He brings such warmth and humanity to the role, the kind of presence that makes you understand immediately why people are drawn to him. Leguizamo has this rare ability to play both humor and heartbreak in the same breath and here he gives one of his most affecting performances in years. The bond between him and Ferreira is what gives the story its emotional weight.
And then there’s the dog scene. Oh, the dog scene. It gutted me. Without giving too much away, it’s one of those moments where a film reminds you how trauma and love can coexist, how one small gesture can rip you apart and piece you back together. That single sequence left me speechless, and I know I won’t forget it anytime soon.
This is one of those films that could easily slip through the cracks, but it deserves so much more. It may be a small indie, but it carries the weight of something much bigger. Don’t miss it! Films like this don’t come around often, and when they do, they remind us why we fell in love with films in the first place.