The winning combination of whimsy, gravitas and good looks that Gael García Bernal has brought to both the big (Amores Perros, Y tu mamá tambíen) and small (Mozart in the Jungle) screens fails to translate to his second stab as director, Hombre Al Agua, an offbeat dramedy that’s too chaotic and muddled to hit its marks.
The actor, who wrote the script with Mariano Pensotti, does double duty as star and helmer in this overcooked story of a Cuban lifeguard who becomes the right-hand man to a Mexican business tycoon, only to have his life quickly unravel because, well, that’s what these quirky dramedies do. The film strains for laughs and meaning despite a good cast that’s easy on the eyes, even if they play characters who seldom feel like real people. After its premiere in the Venice Spotlight sidebar, Hombre should make headways in Latin America but will have a harder time navigating international waters.
Hombre Al Agua
The Bottom Line
An offbeat passion project without much purpose.
