Heartbreaking, yet undeniably beautiful.
In 1961, Fidel Castro excelled the growth of Communism in Cuba by banning all of Rock n’ Roll music, seeing it as bad American influence. Of course, with any sort of prohibition, there are those who acted underground. This continued into the 190s, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, and when rock groups like Nirvana started to hit the airwaves. This kind of music made an impact on any residents who used pirate radio to tune in in secret and would form their own underground bands. Nevertheless, many tried to flee the country with varying degrees of success.
This is the background for the film, Los Frikis, which is set in the mind 1990’s. Two boys, Paco and Gustavo, are members of an underground Cuban rock band, looking to escape their oppressive lives. With no safe way out, they decide to willingly infect themselves with HIV, which will allow them to take sanctuary in a government-run sanitarium with food and housing. They do receive entrance into the sanitarium, although Gustavo secretly got in without infecting himself. Keeping this lie, Gustavo, along with Paco, make friends with the other patients as they await their respective unknown fates.
This film is the second feature from directors Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz, having previously directed 2019’s The Peanut Butter Falcon. That film won over audiences for its heart-warming and sensitive portrayal of people with disabilities. They have a knack for compassion and do just as good of a job with Los Frikis. As tragic as the films story is (especially the hope of a cure for HIV in the mid-1990s), there are many scenes that are just emotionally beautiful.
What makes this film work is how well the filmmakers treat the interactions between characters. The political climate of Cuba had troubled a good number of people, and the added burden of the HIV crisis makes the situation even more drastic. The fact that so many people would deliberately infect themselves just to receive sanctuary gives enough insight into the desperation many had, especially including the assumption of scientists finding an eventual cure. What this film wisely does, however, is linger less on the despairing aspect and more on the hopeful and communal mindsets of these characters.
One can feel the sense of hope compassion in almost every scene in the Sanitarium, and a lot of this is due to how good the actors are. Adria Arjona, arguably the biggest name in the cast, continues to prover her versatility and conviction as the tender caretaker of the sanctuary. The real standout, however, is Eros de la Puente as Gustavo. Being the emotional center, and arguably, the audiences’ perspective, he has a lot to carry and does so with gusto if you will. Even when characters bicker and disagree amongst themselves, there is still a sense of unity amongst each other. This is especially powerful in a time when people feared to even get close to anyone with HIV. They partake in events any normal person would in life, given the newfound freedom they received. Be it playing in their rock bands, hosting a wedding, or even sneaking beer from a local bar, you just get the warm sense of family amongst these young people.
Visually, the directors manage to convey the atmosphere of the different environments with the help of cinematographer Santiago Gonzalez. From the cold grungy look of Havana to the colorful paradise-like look of the sanctuary, the film is practically oozing with personality. The film also makes interesting creative choices with the audio, in which some scenes are overdubbed with the musical score as if to highlight the emotion of the scene. One can tell that all the elements of the film are working at 100% to create an emotional journey. The ending scene, which felt like a crescendo being built up, is worth the journey that was taken, something that cinema can truly accomplish.
Los Frikis is possibly one of the most compassionate films to be found during the holiday season. It may be tough to watch given the subject matter, but the sensitive, direction and performances render the film hopeful and touching, Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz took the strengths of the previous film and magnified them here within a historical context, and the end results are just hauntingly beautiful.
