Chile, Argentina 2011, Video, 87 min. | Director: Julio Jorquera
In Spanish with English subtitles
Following the death of his mother, Hugo is feeling lost and directionless. He’s just been fired from his job after it’s discovered that he’s been sleeping with the boss’ girl, and now he’s struggling to make ends meet. By chance, he meets Octavio, a middle-aged local amateur boxer. Recently diagnosed as epileptic, Octavio’s doctors inform him that unless he gives up boxing, he risks further brain damage and possibly death. The younger man is attracted to the boxer, even secretly watching him from his room. Though Octavio is a picture of masculinity with his blunt physicality, he soon makes it known that Hugo’s attention hasn’t gone unnoticed, with an unexpected kiss in the woods.
Looking to put their pasts behind them and start a new life together, they decide to leave their small Chilean town and move to the capital city of Santiago, where they hope to keep their relationship hidden from the prying eyes of a society that won’t accept their love. They find happiness together, but it isn’t long before they each face temptations that threaten to put an end to their idyllic existence: Hugo in the form of Jenny, a flirtatious co-worker, and Octavio when he receives an unexpected invitation to return to the ring.
Reminiscent of Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler in its quiet tenderness and charming subtlety, My Last Round never paints a rosy picture of the troubled relationship of these two handsome men. Writer/Director Julio Jorquera coaxes brilliantly natural and lived-in raw performances from his two lead actors, making My Last Round a tender and unforgettable love story about the devastating costs of living a life in secret.
- Adam Lubitow
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