Bob Trevino Likes It: A Heartwarming Film About Friendship

Connections make the world a better place.

Bob Trevino Likes It is a 2024 film based on a true story, directed by Tracey Laymon. Lonely 20-something Lily Trevino accidentally befriends a stranger online who shares the same name as her self-centered father. Lily and Bob connect and become friends, giving one another the support they never realized they needed.

I watched a screening of Bob Trevino Likes It at the New Hampshire Film Festival in October 2024. The experience is something I will treasure forever. Bob Trevino Likes It is about friendship, kindness, and standing your ground.

Barbie Ferreira and John Leguizamo star as Lily and Bob Trevino. Both actors are splendid in their roles, each seeking different desires. The two formed a believable friendship as the characters made jokes and talked about personal stories.

Lily is unsure of herself and hasn’t been recognized enough for her achievements. Loneliness is a relatable theme and it’s sad what she’s endured from her biological father. Ferreira was picked for the role based on her versatile nature as an actress. She has excellent range and administered strong emotional growth.

Leguizamo is a talented actor. To me, he will always be Sid the sloth from Ice Age. He brings a warm and empathetic presence to the character of Bob Trevino. He makes Lily feel a sense of trust in herself. When casting for the role, director Tracie Laymon chose Leguizamo when she saw an emotional interview where he talked about his love of being a father.

No film is ever without its supporting cast, including performances by French Stewart, Lauren ‘Lolo’ Spencer, Rachel Bay Jones, and Ted Welch. Disdain filled the auditorium whenever Lily’s biological father, Robert (Stewart) was onscreen.

In her feature-length debut, Tracie Laymon made a film about friendship. The film is based on a story of her own where Laymon accidentally befriended a man with her father’s name on Facebook. She instilled some creative touches to the narrative.

“This movie is proof that online friendships can be real,” Laymon stated. Working on this film was a healing process for her. Lily and Bob’s friendship is an excellent example of online friendships which we need more portrayals of. I have made online friendships and they’re so worthwhile. Friendship comes in many forms.

The film faced a lot of challenges with the actor’s strike on the first day of shooting, money issues, and terrible thunderstorms while filming in Kentucky. Laymon holds deep gratitude for her crew, especially Brad Barnes, her directing mentor, and Pilar Alessandra, a wonderful consultant. Kindness, safety, and respect are integral to Laymon.

Bob Trevino Likes It excels in portraying the idea that we’re not just limited to the family we’re born into. We’re all going to be okay and that’s what truly matters.

The film is both heartwarming and tear-jerking. The scene where Bob encourages Lily to hold a dog is the most heartwarming scene in the movie. My heart melted. The whole film crew teared up while filming the scene.

Seeing this film at the New Hampshire Film Festival enhanced my viewing experience. Audience reaction is my favorite part of any film. We laughed, cried, and applauded. I will never forget the explosion of reactions in one scene.

Normally, I don’t cry in regular movie theater settings, but the raw emotions from around the theater made me tear up. A woman sitting in my row offered everyone tissues right when the film ended. As Laymon said, “There’s healing in sitting next to strangers.”

Bob Trevino Likes It releases to theaters on March 21. It’s a brilliant film that audiences will find enjoyable.