By Roberto Leal
Teenage angst has been the subject matter of countless movies and TV shows. Films like Romeo & Juliet, Rebel Without a Cause, Sixteen Candles, Clueless, Twilight, and TV shows like Square Pegs, Beverly Hills 90210, Dawson’s Creek, and East Los High, have chronicled the trials and tribulations of the teen years ranging from alienation, not fitting in, dysfunctional family life, not having enough money, having too much money, and falling in love with a 108-year old vampire. But the times have changed
After Stonewall, Gay Liberation, Gay Pride Parades, Queer Nation, LGBTQ, and the legalization and almost total societal acceptance of Same-Sex Marriage, we now have a plethora of films and TV shows exploring the problems of teens questioning their sexuality and the dilemma of coming out of the closet. Hulu’s Original TV series, Love, Victor, takes a sensitive, considered, and often humorous exploration into the journey of Victor Salazar’s, Michael Cimino (Annabelle Comes Home, Training Day), search for his true sexual identity.
Meet the Salazar Family
Victor’s story begins when his family hastily and mysteriously relocate from Texas to Atlanta. Atlanta? Why? Well, the official, press release-like explanation is that Victor’s father, Armando, James Martinez (Run All Night, God Friended Me), has found new employment in The Peach State. But we find out the real reason is Armando’s wife, Isabella, Ana Ortiz (Ugly Betty, Delicious Meals), had an affair with her boss. Armando beats him up and feels obligated to leave Texas and yank the clan to Georgia.
Isabella Ferreira (Orange Is the New Black), plays Pilar, Victor’s younger sister. Pilar is suffering from her own separation angst from her life and friends back in Texas and tends to act out. Little brother, Adrian, Mateo Fernandez (Love, Victor), takes it all in stride and is wise (but thank you, writers, not obnoxiously precocious) beyond his tender years. Kudos have to be given to the creators and writers of Love, Victor, Becky Albertalli, Elizabeth Berger, and Isaac Aptaker, for framing Victor’s story around a close-knit Latino family in a positive light. James Martinez’s Armando is a patient, even-handed, understanding father to his family. Armando makes Ward Cleaver look like Fagin.
Ortiz as Victor’s mom, Isabel, adroitly weaves through a web of emotions as she deals with her son’s emergence from out of the closet, her troubled marriage, and her unhappy daughter, Pilar. Isabella Ferreira’s portrayal of Pilar, is a delicate emotional tight-rope walking act as she balances her bitterness about leaving Texas, her disappointment with her mother, her social insecurities, and worship of her older brother. Adrian (Mateo Fernandez), is the sweet, unassuming little brother you just want to take out for ice cream and a day at the park.
The Salazars’ family chemistry is a definite plus in Love, Victor. Cimino is surrounded in the warm, family embrace of his co-stars.
Getting By With A Little Help From His Friends
Love, Victor is based on the continuation of a previous film, Love, Simon, also by the creative team of Albertalli, Aptaker, and Berger, with a similar premise. The main character, Simon, played by Nick Robinson (Jurassic World, Everything, Everything), has been magically teleported to Love, Victor, and is now Victor’s mentor. As the new kid at the upscale Creekwood High School, Victor has a brief romance with Mia, a pretty African-American girl nicely played by Rachel Wilson (This is Us, The Americans). Mia is struggling with her sense of betrayal and abandonment by a mother who has disappeared and a father who is more interested in professional advancement at the expense of her happiness.
Bebe Wood (The Real O’Neals, The New Normal), as Lake. George Sear (Will, When Fate Calls), as Benjie, and Anthony Turpel (9-11, This is Us), as Felix, round out a fine supporting cast.
Looks Ain’t Everything, But It Sure Helps
Everyone in Love, Victor looks like they stepped out of a fashion magazine. Not an untucked shirt, or wrinkled skirt in sight. The production values in Love, Victor are first-rate thanks to the cinematography of Mark Schwartzbard and Jp Wakayama, and production design by Cece Destefano.
What’s Next?
Victor Salazar crossed a threshold when he came out of the closet and began his journey to discover his true sexual identity. There have been inevitable setbacks, conflicts, heartaches, and disappointments. But aided by his mentor, Simon, and his Creekwood High School pals, and his loving, Latino family, he seems to be finding his way.
But what lies ahead for Victor? Will he return to his native Texas and live and thrive in his true identity in one of the large, vibrant LGBTQ communities in Dallas, Houston, or Austin?
Will Victor have to navigate the sexual identity landscape defined by terms like Non-Binary and Pansexual?
Regardless of where the storyline for Love, Victor takes us, it will be interesting to see Victor’s metamorphose when he emerges from his chrysalis and takes flight.
Season 2 of Love, Victor airs on Hulu on June 11.
Cast: Michael Cimino, Ana Ortiz, James Martinez, Isabella Ferreira, Mateo Fernandez, George Sear, Bebe Wood, Rachel Wilson, Anthony Turpel.