REVIEW: ‘José’
Photo: Enrique Salanic stars as the title character in José. Photo courtesy of YQstudio LLC / Provided by Outsider Pictures press site with permission.
The award-winning drama José is a beautifully realized character study of a young gay man trying to find lasting love in Guatemala City. Expertly shot by Li Cheng, the film is a moving and often silent rumination on identity, sexuality, acceptance and rejection.
Enrique Salanic, a newcomer to acting, plays the title role with solemn even-temperedness. He lives at home with his mother and few luxuries in life. He works for a local restaurant where he hails passing cars in the street and offers to-go sandwiches.
[Read Hollywood Soapbox’s interview with director Li Cheng.]
When he’s not working or at home with his mother, José has anonymous hookups with men in the local area. They head into rented rooms for an hour of intercourse, and that’s about it. For José, this has been his way of expressing himself, but when he meets Luis (Manolo Herrera), something changes in him. He doesn’t seem as interested in a quick fling and instead wants to build a lasting relationship — so does Luis.
Hovering over this budding romance is the conservative and Roman Catholic beliefs of Guatemala, personified in José’s mother, who is extremely kind to her son, but also extremely devout. When she catches wind of his relationship with Luis, she warns him to follow God’s path.
With a choice between a new life with his partner and the same old life with his loving mother, José finds himself at an impossible crossroads. Sometimes, as the film suggests, society and circumstance step in and make the choice.
Cheng wrote the screenplay with George F. Roberson, and kudos for them for achieving authenticity and believable realism. They don’t have large scenes of high drama, set amidst the bustling life of Guatemala City and the nearby volcano. Instead, their scenes depict small emotions, everyday life, desperate poverty and difficult decisions.
José’s mother (Ana Cecilia Mota), for example, is robbed one night on her way back to the apartment. Nothing is said, the thieves run off into the distance and life continues. Another scene shows José upset at how he’s unable to commit to Luis, and all that is depicted are the angry actions he takes with his fellow friends. A fight bubbles up at a soccer match, and then life continues.
Although there are large political and religious ideas underlying this drama, Cheng and company have smartly decided to address the conservatism of the day by focusing on one man and his difficult struggle to build a life of value, reciprocity and love.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
José (2018). Directed by Li Cheng. Written by Cheng and George F. Roberson. Starring Enrique Salanic, Manolo Herrera and Ana Cecilia Mota. In Spanish with English subtitles. Running time: 85 minutes. Rating: 
