Movies: Blue for a boy (2025) by Raul Guardans: A Tragicomic Unraveling of a Deceptive Life
- dailyentertainment95
- Sep 9
- 5 min read
A Husband's Secret, A Wife's Confrontation, and an Unexpected Encounter Blue for a Boy is a Spanish tragicomedy film from 2024, written and directed by Raul Guardans. The movie follows Natalia, a woman who discovers her husband, Ernesto, is having an affair, not with a woman, but with a young male sex worker. Her plan to confront the lover is interrupted when she learns Ernesto has had a stroke. In the hospital, Natalia and the lover, Daniel, are forced to confront their shared connection to the man they both love. It's a film in the style of Pedro Almodóvar, exploring how a facade can fall apart when faced with a crisis.
Why to watch this movie: The Drama and Humanity Unveiled
A Unique and Engaging Premise: The film's core conflict, a wife and a male lover meeting at the bedside of the man they both love, offers a compelling and emotionally charged setup. It's a story that explores a non-traditional love triangle with sensitivity and depth.
Strong Character Performances: The film is praised for its delightful performances, particularly by Eva de Luis as the conflicted wife, Natalia, who is struggling to accept the collapse of the life she thought she had. Guardans also receives recognition for his role as Daniel.
A Darkly Comedic Tone: Despite the serious subject matter, the film is described as a "darkly comic treat," offering a blend of humor and drama that keeps the narrative engaging and relatable.
Where to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/es/pelicula/azul-de-nino (Spain)
Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30414915/
What Trend is followed? Breaking Taboos with Dark Humor The film follows the trend of using dark comedy to explore complex and sensitive topics.
The Unconventional Love Triangle: The movie subverts traditional romantic comedy or drama tropes by presenting a love triangle that includes a same-sex affair and a male sex worker. It challenges societal norms and expectations regarding relationships and fidelity.
Human Nature Exposed: The film's use of tragicomedy allows it to delve into the messiness of human nature, showing how people's carefully constructed facades can crumble under pressure. It highlights the often-absurd reality that exists beneath the surface of seemingly normal lives.
Director's Vision: Capturing the Unravelling of a Life Raul Guardans' vision for the film is a love letter to the work of directors like Pedro Almodóvar.
He aims to create a tragicomedy that balances its humorous, soap opera-like elements with deeper themes of identity, deception, and authenticity.
His vision is to show that human nature is stronger than the facades we build, and that in moments of crisis, the truth will surface, no matter how uncomfortable.
Themes: A Façade Falls Apart
Identity and Deception: The film explores the dual lives people lead and the secrets they keep to maintain a certain image. Ernesto's life is a web of deception, and the film examines how that impacts everyone around him.
Love and Betrayal: It delves into the complex nature of love, showing how it can exist in multiple forms and how betrayal can be a catalyst for a deeper, albeit painful, understanding of one's partner.
Authenticity vs. Inauthenticity: A central theme is the conflict between living an authentic life and maintaining a deceptive facade. Natalia and Daniel, in their different ways, are forced to confront the inauthenticity of their relationships with Ernesto.
Key success factors: Performance and Premise
Strong Lead Performances: The film's success hinges on the captivating performances of its lead actors, particularly Eva de Luis, who makes Natalia a believable and sympathetic character despite her anger and confusion.
Compelling and Unique Plot: The unconventional plot provides a fresh take on a familiar genre. It grabs the audience's attention with its shocking revelation and holds it by exploring the nuanced emotional fallout.
A Clear Artistic Influence: By drawing inspiration from the style of Almodóvar, the film establishes a clear artistic direction and a tone that resonates with fans of that genre.
Awards and Nominations: Recognition from the Festival Circuit Blue for a Boy has been showcased at the LGBT+ Film Festival and other festivals, gaining recognition as a feature film from Spain. The film's inclusion in these festivals highlights its importance within the queer cinema landscape. It has also received recognition as the North American premiere at the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival.
Critics Reception & Reviews: A Promising Debut with Room for Growth
Cinerama Film: This review describes the film as a "darkly comic treat" and a "tantalizing starter" from writer/director Raul Guardans. However, it notes that the film "occasionally struggles to balance its darkly comic soap opera elements and its far deeper themes of identity, deception, and authenticity." The review praises the "delightful" performances of Eva de Luis and Raul Guardans.
LGBT+ Film Festival: The film is presented as a tragicomedy in the style of Almodóvar that shows "human nature is always stronger than the façade we build." It's featured in the "Queer" category, highlighting its themes and target audience.
Overall Summary of Critics Reception and Reviews: Critics and audiences generally find Blue for a Boy to be a promising and entertaining debut from Raul Guardans. The film is praised for its strong performances and a unique, compelling premise. However, some reviews suggest that the film doesn't always successfully balance its comedic and dramatic elements, leaving the core message slightly undefined.
Release dates: Festival Run and Streaming The film has been part of film festival circuits.
Release date on streaming: The movie was available for streaming from April 28th to May 4th, 2025, as part of the OUTshine Film Festival.
Theatrical Release: The theatrical release dates are not widely publicized, as the film appears to be primarily screened at film festivals.
What Movie Trend film is following: The Rise of LGBTQ+ Dramedies The film is following the trend of LGBTQ+ dramedies. This trend sees films that use a blend of drama and comedy to tell stories about queer characters and experiences, moving beyond a purely serious or dramatic tone. It normalizes queer relationships and struggles by treating them with humor and relatability.
What Big Social Trend is following: The Post-Truth Era The film is following the social trend of grappling with the "post-truth era," where reality can be a fluid and deceptive construct. It explores how individuals create and maintain facades, and how the truth, when it finally emerges, can be destabilizing and redefining for all involved.
Final Verdict: A Bold and Entertaining Debut Blue for a Boy is a bold and entertaining debut from Raul Guardans. It's a film that bravely tackles a non-traditional love triangle with a blend of dark humor and emotional depth. While it may not be a perfect film, it offers a refreshing perspective on love, secrets, and the facades people build. Its strong performances and compelling story make it a worthwhile watch for those who appreciate films that challenge conventional storytelling and explore the complexities of human relationships.
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