October 8, 2017
Like Foam (Out On Film, Reel Q, Twist)
Roger Walker-Dack READ TIME: 2 MIN.
The Spanish romantic comedy "Like Foam" starts out with a bang: It's Milo's (Carlo D'Ursi) birthday and so Gus (Nacho San Jos�), his best friend and caregiver, is determined that he will do his best to break Milo's dry spell and get him laid. The wealthy and handsome Milo has been moping around his enormous mansion, feeling sorry for himself because he is confined to a wheelchair after a serious accident. Moreover, he is still very angry that Mario (Daniel Muriel), the love of his life, walked out on him more than a decade ago.
Gus calls Carla (Javier Ballesteros), a trans girlfriend of his, and asks for her help in throwing a wild, impromptu birthday party. She obliges by texting a few of her friends and, to ensure they come, she decides that the party should actually be an orgy. After her friends forward the message to their own circle of friends, the large house ends up full of naked and near-naked bodies looking for their own Mr. (or Miss) Right Now, or sharing theirs with friends.
As this diverse range of strangers search for sex, they uncover a whole raft of both funny and profound stories that expose some of their most inner secrets about their hopes and dreams -- and their fears, too. Even as these intriguing tales unfold, Milo deals with issues of his own, as he is full of resentment at seeing his home invaded by revelers. This will come to a head when he discovers that one of the partygoers is none other than Mario, and he is torn between wanting to maintain his bitter contempt and the fact that he is still very much in love with him.
This unlikely setting of an orgy with unlimited near-naked bodies having (discreetly filmed) sex and other types of fun turns out to be a totally inspired choice for this delightful feel-good comedy. Not all the couples are gay, but strong LGBTQ story lines anchor the charming piece, which has the added benefit of some very smart and witty writing and a superbly talented ensemble cast.
Written and directed by Roberto P�rez Toledo, "Like Foam" not only shows that things are not always what they seem, but never has an orgy been so much fun and so full of love too.
Totally unmissable.
Roger Walker-Dack, a passionate cinephile, is a freelance writer, critic and broadcaster and the author/editor of three blogs. He divides his time between Miami Beach and Provincetown.
