directed by:
Thelma Ruiz written by: Thelma Ruiz, Luis Gerardo LoGar genre: Drama |
Now, here's a film that I genuinely appreciate, and I suspect I won't be alone in feeling that way. From the mind of Director Thelma Ruiz, who co-wrote this short film "Boca Punk" – aka "Punk Talk" – with Luis Gerardo LoGar, we've got an extremely insightful and accurate portrayal of the true power of music. For those of you who know my background outside of writing these movie/film reviews, most of my journalistic/critical experience comes from the musical realm, where I've spent more than half my life immersed tightly within the independent music scene. There's definitely a concrete reason for that, and what's remarkable to me is realizing that Thelma was able to explain it so concisely in this magnificent short film. Is my bias going to show in writing this review? Objectively, I think I might have to admit that it will a little bit this time around, if only because it'd be hard not to in this particular case. I feel seen for one of the very first times when watching a short film, and I'm thankful for "Punk Talk."
This is a real case of 'you don't fit in, but you belong' when it comes right down to it. It's a statement that is true of all of us in some capacity, even if we don't realize where these magical spaces exist that will allow us to breathe and really be ourselves at long last. We all experience a feeling that we don't fit in at certain times of our lives and different places we go – that's natural. What makes life as incredible as it is, however, is finding the place where you belong and discovering how you fit right in there. Some folks never find that space, and it's a tragic way to go through life. I guarantee you that this amazing place exists for us all, it's just a matter of finding it through trial and error…but if you continue to search for it, you will find it one day. And it'll feel like home, immediately. It's beyond a feeling like you might have ever known before, but man, oh man, does it feel GREAT when you find your place in this world. As I watched "Punk Talk" and saw the main character, Carmen, I instantly identified with her. From her practically paralyzing shyness, to the way she's viewed by others, to the way she moved to a different beat of her own that was suffocating her ability to make essential connections to others, to most people, I'm sure it would seem like Carmen is already a lost cause at an early age from the outside looking in. I saw something much different. In fact, I think it's fair to say that I saw myself, in Carmen. When we meet her in "Punk Talk," she's on the phone, being begged by her mother to find an alternate way home because her mom isn't going to make it to the school to pick her up on time. I have been in this exact situation, as I'm sure many of you have – but it was the stuff that happened next that hit home hardest for me. You see Carmen look around for the options she might have for a ride, and find nothing but people who have judged her or dismissed her for one reason or another, and rather than be fake about it, or put herself in the uncomfortable position of asking someone that doesn't even like her for a lift home, she decides to walk instead. As I said – I've been there. I've literally walked through more than three entire cities in a night here in the lower mainland of British Columbia to avoid this exact scenario, opting to be comfortable on my own and hoof it for miles rather than take what would likely appear to be the easier way out - and accept a ride from what would basically be a stranger to me. So yeah – believe me, I felt for Carmen when you could see the sadness that comes from a lack of options and how small the world can feel in moments like that. To make things even more potently relatable, you see her look down at her phone, consider phoning her dad for a ride, and realize that's not even a realistic option either, for whatever reasons she might have. As a Generation X'er myself, we all grew up with split family situations, and I can tell you firsthand that just because one parent might fail you at a crucial time, it does not necessarily mean the other just rides in on a white horse to save you. In fact, more often than not, you simply experience the heartbreak of insignificance two times over instead. If you are open to continuing to search for your place, you might just be lucky enough to stumble upon it, even when the world seems like it's closing right in on you. Carmen spots a poster for a local concert as she's on her walk home, and for reasons that are likely unknown even to an introvert like herself, she decides that she's going to go. No posse of friends. No family around. Just on her own, solo. While she's feeling the depths of fear in walking amongst the potential dangers of the city streets, she sees this poster, and you can immediately sense the relief it gives her.
The next thing you know, she's pushing her way into a crowded club, feeling the fear of the unknown as she adjusts to a new place with so many people around. She heads towards the bar to buy a drink and is so frightened of the world around her, likely from how it has treated her over the years, that she can't even speak to order something. The kind bartender serves her something anyway, without judgment, like Carmen was anybody else in the club. This is where you can see her life visually start to change, thanks to the impressive writing from LoGar and Ruiz. It's passive acceptance for sure, and likely a kindness on the part of the bartender that he probably doesn't realize because he extends it to everyone – but it's precisely the all-inclusive atmosphere that Carmen has undoubtedly been searching for her entire life. While the drink itself makes her feel a little queasy, and she runs to the bathroom to throw up, Carmen ends up running into the band as they are getting ready to take the stage, and they, too, show her a level of kindness & instant acceptance that sets her at ease. You see Carmen start to let her guard down and become comfortable. You see her out on the floor of the club, starting to confront her inner demons and the oppressive voices that have held her back for so very long. You see her start to blossom right in front of your eyes - and 'dance like no one's watching,' as the old saying goes. Most importantly, by the end of this film, you see her find her voice because she's finally discovered the place where she belongs, and she is thriving harder than ever. The only place where I've ever felt like I've belonged in life is in the middle of a crowd, specifically during concerts when music is playing. Any other kind of crowd, you can count me out – I'll probably hate it. There's something about the magic of music that brings even the most shy and introverted people out of their shells, if only for a moment, and it's one of the most beautiful & powerful things I've personally ever experienced. Watching "Punk Talk" reminded me of how much I used to be like Carmen, long ago, before I found my place in the crowd. It reminded me of how lucky I was to find music when I needed it the most, and how it has continued to be there for me ever since. Natasha Cubria, who plays Carmen, did an outstanding job and brought extraordinary emotion to her character without having to use a single word. Ruiz's direction was spot-on, as was the writing with her cohort LoGar – there is a fair amount of stuff that's implied more-so than directly shown to us, but that's where the magic of Cubria's performance shines the brightest because we fully understand every message being communicated to us through this short film. Yes, it's true that I found more of this content to be relatable directly to me on a personal level than I typically experience in…well…just about anything else, really – but that never taints my ability to be objective about what I see or what I hear. So take that to heart when I tell ya that "Punk Talk" deserves the four & a half stars out of five that I'm giving it – this is a truly wonderful short film that has a whole lot of heart to it, and it's significantly meaningful in profound ways beyond words. |
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