FILM: Cassandro

Gael Garcia Bernal delivers yet another knock-out performance in Cassandro, a film based on the real-life story of Saúl Armendáriz, a Mexican-American “luchador”, a professional wrestler in the melodramatic Mexican style of wrestling. Saúl became famous as an “exótico”, a traditional luchador character role who is a flambuoyant drag queen, generally there to be the punching bag for a macho opponent. Saúl (under the character name Cassandro) decided to buck tradition, flip the script, and be an exótico who defeats his macho opponents. The film is really engaging and layered, not only telling the underdog story of Cassandro’s rise to fame, but also exploring Saúl’s relationship with a closeted macho luchador, and with his supportive mother and estranged father. Two thumbs up from us.