Film Review: Bob Trevino Likes It 

Bob Trevino Likes It
Director: Tracie Laymon
Laymon’s Terms, Five By Eight Productions
In Theaters: 03.21.2025

It’s not easy to find nice things to say about social media these days, as trolling, cyber-bullying and exhibitionism are a constant negative force. And that’s just from the White House. Still, every once in a while, a profound and real connection is formed by people who meet online, and Bob Trevino Likes It is a moving, fact based story of just such a fortuitous and life changing occurrence.

Lily Trevino (Barbie Ferreira, Euphoria) a young woman accustomed to caring for others, has always longed for a true familial connection. Abandoned by her mother as a child and disregarded by her selfish father, Bob (French Stewart, 3rd Rock From The Sun), she navigates life apologetically. Working as a live-in aide, Lily tries to reconnect with Bob but is cruelly rejected. In her search for connection, she mistakenly sends a Facebook friend request to Bob Trevino (John Leguizamo, Moulin Rouge!, Violent Night), a hardworking construction manager who shares her last name. Bob, who has spent years prioritizing his wife’s happiness while neglecting his own, finds unexpected meaning in their growing friendship. Through small acts of kindness, Bob becomes the father figure Lily never had, while Lily helps Bob rediscover his own worth. Together, they heal and redefine what family means.

Writer-director Tracie Laymon (Goodnight Burbank) based the script on her own experience finding the father-daughter relationship she never had with a stranger on Facebook. The storyline and the feel good approach walks the line of schmaltz at times, but it’s so sincere and heartfelt that it’s hard to hold the sentimentality against it. Laymon has created such a fearlessly raw and vulnerable protagonist that it’s almost jarring. It’s rare that you see a young woman on film who is allowed to be as screwed up as Lily, make so many stupid and immature mistakes and to come off looking all the stronger for her perseverance. The more her backstory and the extent of her emotional damage becomes clear — it’s disturbingly dark — yet Laymon finds the comedy in it and never lets the depressing aspects overpower the hopefulness. The Lily and Bob dynamic could easily come across as forced, yet both characters are so richly drawn that it never was for me, and anyone who has ever made a sudden, unexpected connection with a charismatic person who clearly needs a friend should easily be able to relate to both of them. 

Ferreira is a revelation as Lily, giving a breakthrough performance that I desperately hope will lead to more leading roles rather than her being pigeonholed as a best friend character due to body type. She’s got an energy and spirit that lights up the screen and makes you instantly fall in love with her. Leguizamo has been one of our finest actors since the 90s and, I daresay, that no one else could have made this character so appealing and so grounded at the same time. The chemistry is a match made in heaven, so much so that I found myself wanting to see them pair up for other films. Perhaps the most surprising performance comes from Stewart, who is best known as a zany, over the top, Jim Carrey meets Pee-wee Herman type, and here has to sell an ugly, narcissistic and emotionally abusive character who is so detestable that it would be laughable if Stewart didn’t commit so hard to finding the real person down deep inside Lily’s father. He’s not a likable person, yet he’s a person nonetheless and, as much as it is easy to loathe him, I found myself pitying him. 

Bob Trevino Likes It definitely falls into the ‘feel good movie’ mold, but it’s a solid character dramedy with enough laughs and a truly engrossing story about the deep bond between two people who really need to feel connected to someone. It gets a strong recommendation from me for anyone who is searching for a movie that will make them feel something. —Patrick Gibbs 

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