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I had read reviews, but was pleasantly surprised by this film. As a musical, it is not top tier (most of the songs are forgettable),and the lavish production numbers can be cheesy (though I wonder if that isn't the point), but the story is very moving, the theme resonant and the acting solid. Tonatiuh may not be a name you know; but after this film his is a name I will want to see more of: an absolutely spectacular turn in so many respects.

Ithink that, more than the love story many think this is, the film is about our inability at times to say things (and how music is sometimes the only way to express). It is a film about the beauty of song, yes, but also about how song can convey the messiness and hardness of life in ways we could never explain otherwise (and maybe wish we could). The acting is understated but devastating. The direction is slow-paced, but allows so many details to sink in rather than scream. It has enigmatic moments and unclear messages; but in the long run I think that makes it more realistic and powerful

The film can be hard to watch, with many cringe moments. Both lead characters are extremely flawed and have unlikeable traits. **** of the movie itself becomes disturbing as things go along. Tonally, the film shifts and swerves. With all of that said, I adored this film and find it hard to forget. Characters we are meant to like do awful things. Characters we are mean to underestimate come out as the strongest and most likeable. The tonal shifts eventually reveal themselves to be reflective of the complexity of the characters: comedic one moment, dramatic another, with awkward bouts and emotional depths bouncing off one another... as they do in real life. This film is so unusual, unlike anything I have ever seen; but I'm the end it somehow felt so authentic to me, telling a tale of grief, loneliness and the effects of marginalization. James Sweeney, Dylan O'Brien and hidden gem Ainsling Francisco are all wonderful. I will see it again, maybe hoping to cringe a tiny bit less.