Goyo: A Refreshing Take on Neurodiverse Relationships in Romantic Drama
Goyo Review 2024
Introduction
Goyo is an Argentinian romantic drama that tells the
story of its titular character, Goyo, a guide at an art museum who lives a
strictly regimented life due to his autism and Asperger syndrome. His life
quickly changes when he encounters a woman named Eva, a newly hired security
guard at the same museum. Despite a rocky introduction, the two begin to spend
more time with each other, understanding each other better as human beings, and
eventually developing an inevitable romance.
Goyo Trailer
A Sweet Love Story with Depth
While Goyo tends to be slower and more tonally
inconsistent than it should be, in general, I thought this was a sweet love
story. It addresses the topics of age-gap and neurodiverse relationships in a
mature fashion and develops its characters in a riveting and natural way.
Engaging Protagonist: Goyo
The main character, Goyo (full name Gregorio), was an
engaging protagonist to follow along the story with his quirky personality and
incredible intellect about art. As details behind his tragic family life slowly
became unveiled, I found myself becoming more attached to him as a character.
Authentic Portrayal of Autism
As someone who's autistic myself, I am always wary of
when movies use it as a topic, as it risks being misunderstood or shown in a
negative way. However, the filmmakers did a great job with it in Goyo. Even
though Goyo relies on family members to look after him in some capacity, he is
very much his own person. He works a paying job, takes swimming lessons, and
struggles to find motivation to take up painting again until he meets Eva. He
lives life and experiences challenges the same way anyone else might, making
him relatable and helping me connect with him better.
Sympathetic Character: Eva
The other main character, Eva, is also a sympathetic
character, though for different reasons than Goyo. As a single mom, she tries
her best to make ends meet for her family and has to keep pushing away her
no-good ex-husband who tries to worm his way back in. Her tough family life is
something many people unfortunately go through, and her performance drew me in
to see how she'd overcome her struggles.
A Natural and Relatable Romance
The relationship between Goyo and Eva doesn't start off
on the right foot, which is almost downright creepy, but it’s clearly done on
purpose to highlight the differences between the two characters right away.
Once they get over their initial hump, they start to bond in fun ways. Their
relationship unfolds more or less in the way one would expect: they spend time
together on dates, get to know each other as people, and move on to more
romantic activities in private settings. The normalcy of their relationship is
fascinating and relatable, especially for those in neurodiverse relationships.
Family Dynamics and Support
I also liked how supportive the family members for both
Goyo and Eva were of their circumstances, if not necessarily the relationship
itself. Goyo's siblings, Saula and Matut, have different opinions on how Goyo
should deal with his personal life, which makes for intriguing conflict as
things escalate between Goyo and Eva. Eva's kids don’t comment much on Goyo
dating their mom, but they have some sense of what’s going on.
Tone and Pacing
For the most part, the tone of the story is relatively
consistent, relaxing, and easygoing, aided by a piano-backed soundtrack and how
Goyo’s art interests tie into the story. There are a few dashes of light humor
that highlight Goyo’s mischief and innocence in the right moments. However, the
tone does change at weird times, making some story moments feel awkward and
less handled. For example, the angle involving Eva’s ex, Miguel, never gets
resolved satisfactorily and often distracts from the main story. Additionally,
the pacing felt slower than necessary, especially once the relationship reached
the dating stage.
Conclusion
Despite these minor issues, Goyo never loses sight of
its central theme of acceptance and promotes embracing others despite their
differences and allowing them to feel love in the same way. The film normalizes
neurodiverse relationships while telling a charming and thought-provoking story.
If you enjoy romantic dramas and are curious to see one different from the
usual boy-meets-girl scenario, I think you'd enjoy checking this out. Even
though it could stand to be better paced and more consistent in tone, the
dynamic of the lead characters and the more realistic take on the romance make
their story worthwhile.
Summery
Goyo is an Argentinian romantic drama about Goyo, an
autistic art museum guide, whose regimented life changes upon meeting Eva, a
new security guard. Despite an awkward start, their relationship blossoms
naturally, addressing neurodiverse and age-gap relationships maturely. Goyo's
quirky personality and art intellect make him an endearing character, while
Eva's struggle as a single mom adds depth. The film portrays autism
authentically, highlighting both characters' personal growth. Though it suffers
from tonal inconsistencies and slow pacing, Goyo offers a refreshing, realistic
take on romance, promoting acceptance and the embracing of differences in
relationships.
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