Gael García Bernal Is The Heart Of ‘Cassandro’
There are certain actors who can give you so much with a smile, a glance, a flick of the eyebrow. Gael García Bernal has proven time and time again that he is one of those actors, and he continues to showcase that talent in Cassandro.
Bernal plays real-life luchador Saúl Armendáriz, who becomes an exótico, essentially a flamboyant, campy, drag fighter. Using his new persona of Cassandro, Saúl challenges concepts of masculinity, faces LGBTQ discrimination, and eventually becomes enormously successful, changing the game for exóticos in the wrestling world.
Because the film combines the well-worn ground of biopics and sports underdog stories, there are times when the narrative can feel a little predictable. We know Saúl will face adversity, we know his personal relationships will have their ups and downs, we know eventually he’ll win over the crowd, and we know he’ll be triumphant and become a superstar.
But just because we know where the story will go doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy the journey, and so much of that is thanks to the enormous talent of Bernal. There is a genuine sweetness in his smile that makes you automatically root for him and you can tell from his portrayal that he loves this character. We experience Saúl’s highs and lows and we’re right there with him, fully engaged the whole time because of how Bernal is able to connect with us through the lens.
Scenes Bernal shares with Roberta Colindrez as Saúl’s close friend and trainer and Perla De La Rosa as Saúl’s mother really resonate through the performances. The tension between him and fellow luchador Gerardo (Raúl Castillo) with whom he’s having an affair is amplified through subtlety. Even the flirtation between Saúl and Felipe (Bad Bunny) is conveyed perfectly through expressions and body language.
The state of movies might be up in the air right now, but this performance should certainly earn Bernal a place in the award conversation.
Check out my bite-sized review of Cassandro on TikTok.
