Papi Chulo, which translates loosely to pimp or ‘handsome daddy’, is a buddy-dramedy starring Matt Bomer as a middle-class, gay weatherman mourning the end of a relationship and Alejandro Patiño as Carlos, a middle-aged immigrant worker.
We are introduced to Bomer’s Sean as he breaks down live on air, to the disconcertment of the crew and news presenters. His boss (Wendi McLendon-Covey, making the most of her five minutes of screen-time) pushes him to take time off and regroup, concerned that his emotional displays are alarming to the channel’s audience. It’s here that the inciting event is first referenced – the apparent breakdown of a long-term relationship with a man named Carlos some months ago, which has left Sean noticeably unstable.
Sean soon focuses his efforts to heal on a potted tree left behind by his partner. Yet even once the tree has been sold, a sunspot remains, a painful reminder he is determined to cover up. After a misjudged attempt to paint only the spot rather than the entire deck, he hires Ernesto, a Latino immigrant seeking work outside a hardware store.
And so the premise is set; A strange and undefinable relationship begins to develop between the two men, with neither understanding much of the other’s language. What’s apparent is that Sean sees something of Carlos in Ernesto, and as such awkwardly forces a rapport with him – though a deeply imbalanced one. It’s clear that Ernesto is less a friend than a sounding board for Sean’s problems, as each day he whisks him away from the painting job he hired him to do, to instead go hiking and boating.
The dynamic has great potential – Bomer’s nervous energy is well balanced by Patiño’s serene countenance, and Irish-born writer-director John Butler’s outsider perspective could lend itself to a fascinating presentation of relationships that cross socioeconomic and racial divides in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, the story fails to lean into its dark side. The obvious power imbalance of their relationship may provide fuel for a few jokes, but by the end, Ernesto is still just a foil for Sean’s character arc.
It should be satirical, but the film doesn’t seem to be in on the joke. Sure, there are some touching moments of real vulnerability and intimacy between the two characters, but those are to be credited more to the cast’s acting power than to the narrative. In the end, you can’t help but feel a little cheated by a relationship which draws you in with its charm but doesn’t deliver any depth.
Papi Chulo presents a joyful and often amusing on-screen dynamic, but not even Bomer and Patiño’s chemistry can rescue this uncomfortable story.
Papi Chulo is available on Digital Download from the 22nd July.