Matt Bomer stars in the upcoming buddy comedy, Papi Chulo.
Bomer plays “Sean,” a gay weatherman who hits a rough patch of depression following a major breakup. Sean finds solace in an unlikely friendship with a straight migrant worker.
Written and directed by gay Irish filmmaker John Butler (Handsome Devil), Papi Chulo made its world premiere last fall at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival.
The official synopsis reads:
“After a newly-single TV weatherman is put on leave following an on-air meltdown, he directs his energy into home improvement and hires a middle-aged Latino day laborer named Ernesto (Alejandro Patiño) to help. Despite a language barrier and having nothing in common, the two men develop an unexpected but profound friendship in this darkly comedic reflection on class, ethnicity, and companionship in contemporary Los Angeles.”
“I am going through a rough patch,” Sean tells Ernesto in the trailer. “My ex has been gone for six months now and I have to admit I’m not good at being alone. I never have been.”
Variety’s Joe Laydon praised the film in its review, describing Bomer’s Sean as “played with admirable fearlessness,” and the film as a whole as a “scrupulously low-key and unassumingly ingratiating dramedy.”
“A warm-hearted tale of emotional healing through an unlikely friendship.” – The Hollywood Reporter
“The film captures something universal and profound: the fleeting human connections that can change a life forever.” – Screen Daily
Bomer serves up a heart-on-his-sleeve performance that balances his good looks with a nervous awkwardness. And Patiño offers a master class in underplaying his reactions to Sean’s chaotic desperation.
Bomer, a Golden Globe winner for his performance in HBO’s The Normal Heart, recently appeared on Will & Grace as news anchor McCoy Whitman, Will’s love interest.
The 41-year-old made his Broadway debut last year in the acclaimed revival of the groundbreaking gay drama, The Boys in the Band. Producer Ryan Murphy is has announced he will produce a screen version of the production for Netflix.
The Magic Mike actor can also be seen starring in the DC Universe series Doom Patrol.
Papi Chulo hits theaters June 7. Watch the trailer below.
