Nathan Breen reviews the films Kill the Jockey, Boys Go to Jupiter and Bob Trevino Likes It.
What would you do for love? This question resonates through three of the films in the Glasgow Film Festival’s main programme. All the primary characters make dramatic decisions in the pursuit of love, whether it be the love of family, romantic partners or the world itself.
Possibly the most extreme is in Luis Ortega’s Kill the Jockey. The film boasts masterful camerawork, suspenseful and comical dialogue, strong performances and surreal Europop dance sequences.
Through this, we witness the transformation of our protagonist, jockey Remo (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart), as he is ‘born again’ in the pursuit of his female love interest, Abril (Úrsula Corberó). The film focuses largely on queer themes, exploring Abril’s sexuality and her relationship with a fellow female racer, as well as Remo’s transition to a more feminine identity in the wake of his accident, where he is ‘to die and be born again’.
There’s more transition and sacrifice in the pursuit of love in Julia Glander’s animated film, Boys Go to Jupiter. The animation style is reminiscent of early 2010s indie game culture, the voice acting is strong, and the soundtrack features several catchy and creative original numbers.
Billy 5000 (Jack Corbet) needs to earn $5000 via food delivery service Grubby. In his travels as a delivery man, he comes into possession of an alien he calls Donut. A bidding war ensues as a large company tries to buy his extra-terrestrial companion.
Capitalism and exploitation are the main focus, but love is also a prominent theme within the story. Billy is forced to reconsider his relationship with love and money, deciding what takes priority.
Boys Go to Jupiter uses an E.T.-like scenario to examine the relationship between love and money, as well as the costs of love and what we would do to obtain it. Despite a few sound production issues, the film is basically a well-executed animation that approaches important themes with depth and humour.
In contrast to the previous films, Bob Trevino Likes It, written and directed by Tracy Laymon, approaches these themes in a realistic and grounded manner. Based on a true story, it follows Lily Trevino (Barbie Ferreira) as she develops an unlikely friendship with a stranger on Facebook who shares the same name as her absent father.
Throughout the film, the themes of love and sacrifice are explored through the role of Lily’s new friend, Bob Trevino (John Leguizamo). Having lost a child of his own, Bob sees Lily as an opportunity to fulfil his duty as a father and, in turn, helps to heal the trauma left behind by Lily’s neglectful and abusive father.
This transition requires both characters to enter a state of vulnerability, opening the door to the closure they both seek. With memorable performances from a stacked cast and a heartwarming story that can pull at even the toughest of heartstrings, Bob Trevino Likes It was a highlight of the festival.
Kill the Jocky, Boys Go to Jupiter and Bob Trevino Likes It were screened as part of the Glasgow Film Festival 2025 programme.
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