“Bionico’s Bachata”

The quirky “Bionico’s Bachata” is mildly amusing at first, but if you are able to make it through to the end, it feels more like a chore than a good time. Director Yoel Morales mixes moments of dark humor with sobering reality in a film that ventures into the world of a hopeless romantic who also happens to have a crippling addiction to crack.

Bionico (Manuel Raposo), along with his friend and drug partner, is trying his best to find a job, a house, and the perfect wedding ring so he can properly marry his fiance La Flaca (Ana Minier). She’s currently enrolled in a rehab center where she’s undergoing a strict detox, and there’s something she needs her love to do: quit using drugs and stay clean before she gets out. To Bionico, this goal seems impossible, but he is willing to at least try to clean up his act so they can live happily ever after.  

Despite commendable efforts from the cast, the characters come across as thinly realized and lacking in depth, making it difficult for audiences to truly invest in their journey. There’s a lot of dancing, drug use, and mundane observations about daily life that are tiring, especially when there’s little connection between the viewers and the characters.

“Bionico’s Bachata” is a sincere love story about failed relationships and friendships, but it requires a considerable investment of time and energy with little payoff in return.

By: Louisa Moore