PG-13 | 1h 42m | Drama | 2025
Based on writer and director Tracie Laymon’s real-life experience of meeting a kindhearted stranger on social media who profoundly changed her life, she tells a captivating story about the importance of true friendship, empathy, compassion, and self-worth.
Bad Dad
Robert Trevino is a real piece of work, a dad who presents his grown daughter Lily with a stack of crumpled papers: It’s an exhaustive, itemized list of all the expenses he’s incurred while raising her. Baby food is even on there. “I’m not saying you owe me, I just wanted you to know what it cost me to raise you,” he explains. That’s all just a guilt-tripping wind-up for the pitch of asking her for money. This astoundingly narcissistic man only contacts his daughter when he needs a favor. Bob Trevino is a no-account, worthless dad.
At the movie’s outset, bad Bob brings Lily along on his date with a 60-something blond. Lily accidentally confuses this particular blonde with another of the dozen or so blondes Bob’s been bending her ear about. Who can keep up with the details of Bob’s blondes?
Off to See the Therapist
Bob’s refusal to answer her calls sends Lily spiraling into depression. She’s clearly got her work cut out for her in her attempt to heal her virulent codependency, people-pleasing issues, and self-loathing. While emotional scars can sometimes be worse than physical scars, Lily is also seriously overweight. She’s dealing with a double-whammy of stressful challenges.
Good Dad
Lily just wants is to be loved and appreciated. No one likes her Facebook posts or acknowledges her online existence. While trying to find her loser dad online, in hopes of rekindling their relationship, her message winds up in the inbox of a thoughtful and kindhearted 50-something man who’s the exact opposite of her real dad. Well, not exactly the opposite: They have one thing in common—the exact same name: Bob Trevino (John Leguizamo). Lily posts stuff on Facebook, and Bob hits the “like” button. Say it with me now—Bob Trevino Likes it. Smiley emoticon.
Eventually, Lily meets Bob a construction manager in real life. They hit it off with alacrity, and gradually become best friends. He provides her with the tenderness and kindness she’s lacked in a dad. For the first time in her entire young life, she feels seen, understood, listened to, supported, guided, championed, and cherished. Bob, who lost his son early, has powerful paternal instincts, and becomes a de facto surrogate father to Lily.
This unlikely connection is a rare, unexpected match, and watching these two lost souls find comfort in one another is truly special. One would hardly categorize it as a reverse “Harold & Maude,” but it’s similar. Lily and Bob inspire each other in a variety of surprising ways, such as going camping and watching shooting stars. Good Bob’s an astrology buff.
No Schmaltz
“Bob Trevino Likes It” has been described as a “tear-jerker,” but it’s absolutely not. It’s quite simple—Bob models for Lily how fathers should treat their daughters, and Lily becomes the daughter Bob never had. It’s sweet. It’s often sad, but not maudlin, it’s unflinching but not emotionally wrenching, and it’s occasionally amusing. This is, after all, John Leguizamo we’re talking about—showbiz’s former crown prince of clowning. He’s upped his drama game significantly here.This is a breakthrough performance for Barbie Ferreira, who also produces. In her early career, Ferreira was a serious bombshell (she’s also a model) but the acting chops on display here are going to open doors for her.
“Bob Trevino Likes It” reminds us that small acts of kindness go a long way, and how valuable and nurturing human connections can pop up in unexpected ways. A deeply moving film, it’s a passionate paean to the fact that in this day and age, spiritual connections can be far more powerful than bloodlines.
