Got Machismo?
By Fred Leland

September 28, 2001

I happen to mention in passing that I enjoy the occasional foreign film, and suddenly I'm the Bigmanout.com foreign film critic. Well that'll teach me to open my mouth at the next content meeting. But if I'm going to write a review of a foreign film, Don't Tell Anyone, is a nice way to start.

I'm going to give you a long summary of the film, which I don't think will spoil anything for you, because Don't Tell Anyone is a loose film that works more on what conclusions you draw in your mind than what you see on the screen. Set in Lima, Peru, the film opens on a church camp out for a group of boys around the age of 11 or so. After a final campfire song, the kindly old priest sends the boys to their tents for the night.

In his tent with his friend Miguel, Joaquin complains about not being able to sleep. Miguel suggests that Joaquin say the Rosary before rolling onto his side. Taking notice of Miguel's bare back, Joaquin strokes his hand along the small of Miguel's back. Obviously angry, Miguel threatens to hit Joaquin if he tries to touch him again. This is a scene you wouldn't see in an American studio picture, mainly because it deals with the reality of adolescents and sexual experimentation. But in Don't Tell Anyone, this scene sets the trend Joaquin follows through the rest of the film -having to bury his true desires in a very machismo rich environment. And to define machismo, I'm speaking of the idea of masculinity often associated with Latin cultures: real men are defined through hard living, hard partying, fighting, and chasing women. And the ultimate crime is not being a man who fits the definition (i.e. Gay, Bi, feminine, etc.) Anyway, Joaquin tells Miguel that he's sorry and begs him to not say anything. They settle down after a while and Joaquin quietly prays to God to help him change.

We go forward in time to Joaquin as a 15-year-old boy confessing during church services. As Joaquin joins his parents, Felipe (Joaquin's father,) takes notice of a group of young men at the back of the church cruising his son. Felipe, being the macho, woman loving, cigarette smoking, and booze drinking man he is, decides to put the boxing gloves on his son when they get home. Reluctantly Joaquin begins to fight back, but quits all together when his father goes too far and calls him a "fairy." Of course mom inserts herself between her fighting men, and we see Joaquin in the bathroom looking at himself in the mirror, while his parents argue in the distance. Felipe (Hernan Romero) later apologizes to Joaquin during a quiet moment together in the kitchen. He admits to going too far, but instead of letting things end there, Felipe gets the idea that he needs to take Joaquin hunting. Do you think Newt Gingrich and Felipe subscribe to the same idea of masculinity? "I'll take the boy out and hunt giraffes, that'll make a man out of him." Of course mom doesn't approve of this idea, because she wants Joaquin to remain pure -untouched (literally) by booze, cigarettes, and everything else her husband wants Joaquin to experience.

Felipe takes Joaquin hunting on a farm out in the country owned by an Indian family (as in Inca, Mayan, Aztec.) Joaquin is introduced to the farmer's hardworking yet dim son, Dioni. Dioni is very dark, has thick black hair, and is well muscled from hard physical work. The two fathers go off hunting while the two boys take off on their own with a rifle. Before Joaquin can stop him, Dioni shoots a deer for Joaquin (Santiago Magill) and gladly tells Felipe that his boy did it. What do hunters do after whacking Bambi on a hot day? You got it; they strip down to their underwear and sit in a deep stream on the farm's property. The topic eventually comes around to sex, which excites the dim witted Dioni as he recounts his exploits with a distant cousin. Taking the opportunity, Joaquin accuses Dioni of being a liar -how could he possibly have an erection in the cold water? Well Dioni gladly stands up, pulls down his underwear and shows Joaquin that he isn't lying. Joaquin tries to come on to Dioni, but the farm boy strongly rejects him and angrily hisses, "Men don't touch other men." Keep in mind, Joaquin is clumsy at social interactions in general, not only because of his suppressed desires, but also because he's an only child living in close quarters with his wealthy controlling parents.

Joaquin attempts to continue seducing Dioni, but Dioni gets even angrier and storms off to tell what Joaquin has been doing. Literally, Joaquin has to attack Dioni and choke him into submission. Felipe comes across the boys fighting and is very impressed that his son has managed to bloody the lip of Dioni the rugged. On their way home, Felipe expresses how pleased he is with his son, and with his eyes off the road for a brief moment, runs down a man on a bicycle. Felipe rationalizes leaving the man on the side of the road with the comment "It's just an Indian." This scene only confirms what a bastard Felipe is, but as a thread in the plot, it's the only one that the movie doesn't pick up again later. Although you could argue that it teaches Joaquin to be something of a selfish predator later in his life. Unfortunately some references lose their impact the further they travel from their culture of origin, because I suspect this scene speaks more to the people of Peru on the division of ethnic and economic groups, than it does anywhere else.

Pleased with Joaquin, Felipe decides to take him out to celebrate his graduation. The use of graduation is a play on the word here, because Joaquin does graduate from a private Catholic high school, but in Felipe's eyes he has also graduated into manhood. To his horror, Joaquin finds himself in a bar with his dad picking out a hooker, who is going to take him that last step into being a "true man." During the following scene, complete with frontal nudity and very realistic looking sex, Joaquin looks like a mannequin because he's so creeped out. The motherly hooker tries all she can to help him out, but becomes a shoulder for him to lean on when Joaquin can't take anymore and explains that it was his father's idea. Finally she hits it on the head and asks Joaquin if he likes men. Of course Joaquin denies having any such attractions, but she tells him that it's okay and that she figured it out the second she saw him. In a blunt and almost sarcastic way, she instructs Joaquin to follow his instincts or they will suffer. Joaquin gets dressed and runs out into the streets of the city.

We jump ahead again, to Joaquin as a 21-year-old college student, being paid a visit by his mother on his birthday. She's now been placed in the position of messenger because of the deep rift between Joaquin and Felipe. As mom leaves, a female classmate arrives to study with Joaquin, and of course mom becomes very curious. Although his classmate (Alejandra) has a boyfriend, Joaquin tries to be the ladies man and playfully attempts to seduce her with wine, flirting, and light conversation. Alejandra is flattered but is in love with her boyfriend, who she has to rush off and meet up with. Alone, Joaquin makes the unfortunate choice of going out with his friends for a drive. The trio soon discovers a transvestite streetwalker on a dark street, where Joaquin watches as his friends attack the streetwalker and beat her unconscious before running off. Joaquin stands helplessly, staring down at this person whose only crime was not being a "true man."

Later that night, Alejandra (Lucía Jiménez,) comes back to Joaquin's apartment in tears. She tells Joaquin that her jealous boyfriend accused her of being a slut because she told him Joaquin was a friend, and broke up with her. Joaquin comforts her and eventually gets her to share a joint with him, which eventually leads to the two having sex on his bed. But in the middle of getting hot and heavy, Joaquin simply stops and walks away without saying a word. Alejandra finds Joaquin sitting in the bathroom in the dark with his knees tucked up against his chest. Alejandra is sweet; smart, but a little naïve about things like sex, because she comes from a upscale sheltered family as well. After a little effort, Alejandra gets Joaquin to admit and talk about his attraction for her, but also the attraction he has for men. The naïve Alejandra tells Joaquin that she's the woman who is going to fix him. They begin dating and act like any typical Heterosexual couple.

During one date at the beach, Joaquin has a bout of premature ejaculation while trying to please Alejandra, and they agree that he's normal. I applaud the movie for taking on the challenge of trying to shed light on how cut and dried sexuality is thought of, in a highly Testosterone charged society. But it fails to separate out Bisexuality from Homosexuality, instead the only alternative to being 100% Straight presented, is an ambiguous concept of being Gay. The happy couple runs into friends of Alejandra (Rocio & Gonzalo) at a local disco one night. Joaquin finds Alejandra and Rocio sitting at the bar, where the two girls have been giggling about being in love. It seems innocent enough, and it would be if Joaquin had not been in the bathroom with Rocio's boyfriend Gonzalo, doing the lines of coke they scored from a dealer. Both guys act as if they just met that moment, and as far as Joaquin can tell, the handsome Gonzalo is not into guys.

Fortunately for Joaquin, the girls have to make their 1:00 AM curfews, leaving himself, Gonzalo, and some coke to get through the night. Joaquin and Gonzalo finish off the rest of the coke at Joaquin's apartment, where they both get wired beyond belief. Hm, drugs led to Joaquin almost having sex with Alejandra, I wonder if it'll work on Gonzalo. Uninhibited, Joaquin admits to finding Gonzalo, a guy with Kris Lord good looks, attractive. To Joaquin's surprise, Gonzalo gives him a hard deep kiss, any deeper and Gonzalo would taste shoe leather. Unfortunately we cut to both couples riding in Gonzalo's SUV discussing marriage; but as the discussion progresses, the differences between Rocio and Gonzalo become clear and calls into question their plans to be married after almost 5 years together. When they make it to the movie theater, Gonzalo puts his arm around Rocio's neck and tickles Joaquin's cheek with his fingers, which of course causes Joaquin to pull away.

Then comes the 25th wedding anniversary party for Joaquin's parents. Felipe is noticeably less of a bastard and more of the affectionate husband he should always have been. Furthermore, Felipe is very impressed with his son's girlfriend, Alejandra. But this is right before we find Gonzalo in bed with Joaquin, sporting their best Fruit of the Looms. So what does a sexually suppressed closeted Gay man do after he's just been with the man of his dreams? He begins to spiral out of control for one thing, and starts by taking his girlfriend for granted, which leads to a painful break up. But Joaquin doesn't realize how big of a miscalculation he's made, until he tells Gonzalo that he's broken up with Alejandra, so they can be together. Gonzalo is furious with Joaquin, and tells him to go back to Alejandra because the two of them walking down the street holding hands in Lima Peru is not going to happen. And that it is safer to have a girlfriend and a "Gay side."

Green with envy, Joaquin pays a visit to Rocio and tells her that Gonzalo (Christian Meier) has been sleeping with him since the night they all met. This doesn't drive Gonzalo into Joaquin's arms, but it does get him a pop in the mouth and torpedoes any future with Gonzalo. Coked up and drunk, Joaquin pays a visit to his parents' house and outs himself, which leads to a physical confrontation with his father. With his personal and family life in the tubes, Joaquin's academic career is soon to follow. He walks out of a final and out of Law school but is surprised to find his friend Alfonso following close behind him. Neither of these rich brats has worked a day in their lives and head off to Alfonso's parents' house to party. And by party I of course mean drinking, drugs, and Alfonso getting Joaquin into bed. If it wasn't for the high production values and good acting, you might think this was porno, because who gets this much action so easily? I felt the film was dragging a bit as it prepared to enter this last quarter, and the plot twists began to strike me as convenient: because after having sex, Alfonso and Joaquin find a huge block of coke in the house safe.

The two buddies hatch up a plan to sell some of the coke for cash and snort the rest. During their bender through town Joaquin pushes himself and Alfonso into snorting more and more coke until Alfonso overdoses. Leaving Alfonso for dead in his car, Joaquin makes a fast getaway to Miami, Florida, where he discovers the glamorous career of dog walking. But when he's not walking dogs, Joaquin is cruising the local adult theater for guys to have sex with in the bathroom, or turning tricks for rich closeted Floridians. Through some stroke of luck that goes unexplained, Joaquin manages to share an apartment with another hustler, who looks like a younger more athletic Antonio Banderas.

After a year away, Joaquin spots Alejandra dancing during his trip to a local disco in Miami. He works up the nerve to walk over to her, and the chemistry between them re-ignites as they spend the evening catching up on old times. Alejandra is successful at convincing Joaquin to come back home and finish getting his Law degree. And the film ends with Joaquin back together with Alejandra, having praise heaped upon him by his family at a party celebrating his graduation. The loose threads of the plot are picked up in succession, beginning with the appearance of Alfonso and his very pregnant wife. He happily tells Joaquin of his career at his father's firm and how his Gay experiences turned out to be a phase after all. And how the night he overdosed scared him completely off drugs. When Gonzalo crashes the party, both Joaquin and Alejandra are left speechless. In a group photo Alejandra finds herself standing between Joaquin and Gonzalo, plainly forecasting the future.

Don't Tell Anyone, is Shakespearean in some aspects, brave social commentary in others. Joaquin as the young prince runs afoul of his father and mother, is haunted by personal demons, and undone by his character flaws. Like Othello, you cheer for him at first, but it isn't long before you're a little disgusted by his self-destructive behavior. Despite a few weaknesses, Don't Tell Anyone remains an impressive effort, in that it dares to be insulting to those who find male sexuality a taboo subject, or those who buy into gender / sex roles and a class system. The sexual scenes aren't glossed over, but you do notice that the "male on male" scenes are more erotic than sexual: I mean you have to assume oral sex or penetration has taken place off camera, while in the "male on female" scenes you see more realistic acts. It's exciting, maybe even a little unnerving, to see actors spend so much time on screen fully naked and fully comfortable with it --chalk it up to our Puritan heritage I guess. Lucía Jiménez (Alejandra) stands out in my mind as the one to watch. She plays Alejandra as sexy, bubbly, maybe even a little worldly, but naïve. These qualities make her the most tragic figure in the film, because in the end you know Joaquin'll only hurt her again, and you suspect that she knows it as well. For those of us who don't mind reading their films, Don't Tell Anyone is a satisfying read.

Therefore, I press on Don't Tell Anyone.

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