Luz

The acting with the leads is very good and I love that this has a happy ending. I feel that the story struggled a bit with the tone, though; wanting to tell a darker story with sharper edges but coming off soft.It's like Carlos in prison, projecting toughness to protect tenderness. I'm glad this wasn't darker with more violence and dubious consent scenarios, but the lack of any real grit makes the prison scenes feel unrealistic compared to anything else that I've read or watched in a similar setting. I've never done time or known anyone who has so I have no idea what is realistic for prisons, but I had a friend who worked as a medical records clerk in a federal prison and the few stories that she told me lead me to believe the darker takes on prison life.The shortness of Carlos and Ruben's actual time as lovers in prison was as shocking to me as it was to Ruben. I personally didn't like that, but I guess I have to applaud the writer and director for presenting it all in such a way that the viewer feels the rug pulled out from under them as viscerally as Ruben as he realizes Carlos is getting out.In another example of unbalanced tone, there's the storyline between Ruben and his cousin Julio. Ruben went to prison for being the intoxicated driver in a wreck that killed Adriana, Julio's girlfriend(?) whom Ruben was assigned to drive around but he fell for her too. Julio's a mafia/gang baddie and Ruben seems to believe he'll be killed by his cousin when he gets out because he killed Adriana. When Ruben is finally released, he learns Julio has pretty much disappeared and that he has Ruben's daughter Marisa. So that seems sinister, right? He's taken Ruben's daughter as payback for Ruben's actions taking Adriana from him. Ruben seems to think so. When he finally finds out where Julio is, he arms himself and goes to get Marisa back. The place has an armed guard, seems to be out in the middle of nowhere and it all screams DANGER. Yet Ruben is able to get in, find Marisa, convince her to come with him (she didn't immediately want to leave) and they get out without ANY problem. But he sends her off into the wooded night to lock herself in his car while he goes back to ??? Confront Julio? End him? I don't get it. He has his hand on his gun, but seems ready to leave after putting a medallion on Julio's bedside table, but he, of course, woke Julio. Despite guns coming out, this whole scene played out like family members that just needed therapy. There was no malice on Julio's part, he was raising Marisa because he was the only family left to do it and he loved her like his own child. If Julio was meant to be the villain, he's one of the most sympathetic villains I've seen. I don't know if that off camera gunshot was Ruben or self-inflicted by Julio, but we know Ruben is there at the end and it honestly upsets me to think Julio is dead. Why??? They had gotten away. Ruben didn't need to go back. Julio was not the threat he was imagined to be. There should not have been any gunfire. It should have been a moment of closure, if not forgiveness, as their family bond won out over violence. Why couldn't that have been a beautiful moment like the ending between Marisa and her two really hunky dads?Everything in me is honestly saying to rate this 3 stars, but despite my gripes it is just so well done compared to other gay love stories that I have to bump it to 4 in hopes that higher ratings will encourage more, even better movies, in this vein. I don't regret buying this to have in my growing library of LGBTQIA+ movies and I will rewatch it because, let's be real, Ernesto Reyes is gorgeous and the sex scenes are HOT. I just want a more solid story to go with the sexiness.

Wow both men in this movie were amazing. They had awesome chemistry and really were convincing. They really were completely believable that they were really in love. The main character Ernesto Reyes was not just a typical gorgeous face and body but he really showed amazing talent and extremely impressive emotions. He was so convincing and really amazing at acting like he was truly in love. His beautiful hazel brown eyes are captivating but his acting is superb. This was a great movie to view on a friday night for me a gay black male in Atlanta, Ga United States. Loved it loved it loved it!!!

Beautifully written, with fantastic acting. Came here for a queer love story, got so much more. Fantastic social commentary on masculinity and violence. Just amazingly well done all around.

I liked this movie a lot. I was so happy it had an happy ending. I just wish it wasn't the edited version. I paid to rent this so I don't understand why I'm paying for an edited version. That was stupid.

Where too many prison movies, and too many movies made for LGBTQIA+ audiences rely on stock characters and stereotypes, this production manages to provide characters that have dimensionality...and lot of heart. While the storytelling is a little rocky in places, there are a number of genuine moments. Those moments of genuine, honest storytelling pick up steam in the second half of the piece. There are flashes throughout that are reminiscent of both telenovelas and Hallmark movies, but those feel like intentional references. Mostly though, the directing, camera work, and editing are uncluttered and straightforward. That serves the narrative well, allowing relationships to be multidimensional, instead of trying to make them multidimensional. The entire cast works well together. This is, by far, director Jon Garcia's best effort to date, and shows his growth in the craft.

Great story, wonderful acting, excellent chemistry from the two leads. Don't sleep on this one!

I absolutely love this movie! It shows that true love is worth going after, being vulnerable, going after who and what u want.

Started well, but then was flat. Decent performances but there was not much going on 2nd 1/3 of the movie. The way Ruben got into that house to find Julio was pretty adolescent. Was supposed to be suspenseful if he will be back or not to meet Carlos. I was excited about a LGBTQ+ feature with 2 latino men. I just didn't like it. Intentions were good, just didn't deliver.

..a very wonderful movie!!!!!!