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Thursday, August 24, 2017

'Peyote' DVD: Coming-of-Age in Mexico

The Breaking Glass Pictures DVD of the gay-themed 2013 Mexican drama "Peyote" notably is one of the more stylized entries in the vast Breaking library of foreign films that show that boys who like boys are no different than boys who like girls.

The following YouTube clip of the Breaking trailer for "Peyote" offers glimpses of the trauma and the drama of our central characters, who symbolically seem to be the only two people in the world.


The vivid opening scenes show 17 year-old Pablo literally playing with his food in an elaborate good v. evil story; he goes on to check EVERY aspect of his physical development. In other words, our hero is a genuine manboy.

Writer/director Omar Flores Sarabia provides the most blatant symbolism in dressing Pablo in a superhero t-shirt and jeans for a trip to the park where he meets "older man" Marco, who seems to be between 25 and 30. Nice stereotype-breaking aspects of Marco are that he lacks physical attractiveness and charm. His skill at seducing Pablo seems to be based on being older and challenging the male pride of his new companion.

Early despicable acts by Marco include getting the "home alone" teen nervous about plans for a party at his house and inviting him to eat after ruining his food but sticking him with the bill at the end of the meal.

The adventure kicks in when Marco uses his crude powers of persuasion to convince Pablo to accompany him to the Mexican desert to obtain the titular illicit substance. All of us whose youthful escapades include even accompanying a relative stranger in search of a party that that person thinks is in a general neighborhood can relate to things quickly going awry on the way to the desert. The car breaking down in the middle of nowhere is the tip of the cactus.

This being a Breaking film makes it no surprise when Pablo begins making a big deal about having a girlfriend while indicating that she is not the love of his life. The primary twist is Marco being his typical asshole self about the matter to the extent of hijacking a call from the girlfriend with a malicious intent to greatly embarrass Pablo.

Viewers of every age and sexual orientation will spend most of the movie wondering what Pablo sees in that guy and why he keeps returning for more cruelty; the appeal of the older man and the Daddy issues that come out only partially explain it.

Marco becoming more sympathetic near the end of the "Peyote" is another step in the process toward Pablo becoming a man that makes a large stride the night before. However, Pablo both remains the more likable of the two and makes guys with a respectable interest in mentoring boys who have "those thoughts" regarding other boys wish that the lad chooses more wisely regarding his role model with benefits.

The DVD special features include the 2013 Sarabia short "El autor." This well-filmed one has a small group of men incarcerated in an otherwise abandoned Mexican jail in which one of the group knows of the key to their freedom.

Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Peyote" is encouraged either to email me or to connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.




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