Broche de Oro (2012)

Jean Pablo Deliz Dávila

    Broche de Oro (2012) is a well-meaning but ultimately forgettable comedy-drama that can't balance its comedic moments with its dramatic undertones. It's a shame because the three main leads are fun to watch and have great chemistry. However, they're overshadowed by a terrible script that doesn't know how to make the most of its dramatic undertones. It's an inoffensive movie, never overstaying its welcome or becoming obnoxious. But you won't remember it long after it's concluded. 

Broche de Oro (2012) is a Puerto Rican comedy film written and directed by Raúl Marchand Sánchez, starring Jacobo Morales as the main character, Rafael. Rafael lives in a Catholic retirement home with his two friends, Anselmo (Adrian Garcia) and Pablo (Diego de la Texera). Rafael is an aging retiree who yearns to spend time with his grandson Carlos (Luis Omar O'Farrill) but cannot leave the home. One night, he and his friends escape the retirement home to spend a few days in Loíza and see Carlos compete in a surfing competition. In the meantime, Madre Superior (Marian Pabón) and the security guard Norberto (Luis Raúl) leave the nursing home to search for the escaped elders. 

With that premise, Broche de Oro (2012) sounds like a pleasant movie about elderly folks wanting to have fun and spend time with their loved ones. I admire the theme of how you are never too old to have fun and the importance of spending time with your loved ones. It's a universal theme that appeals to people of all ages, no matter the demographic. It's got all the right ingredients for a feel-good movie to laugh along with. However, the movie's noble intentions are undone by a weak script that's tonally inconsistent and lacks nuance. 

The film's plot is alright as it is, but I can't help but feel the writing is undercooked in the story and tone department. Broche de Oro (2012) deals with themes of old age and the forgotten elderly who waste away in retirement homes. It's a depressing subject, considering the relatability of seeing the elders who never get visited by their children or grandchildren. Our grandparents busted their asses to raise their kids in turbulent times, showing their strength and wisdom to their grandchildren. Considering most of the Puerto Rican elderly raised a large family in the boomer generation, it's something to admire. Raising more than five kids on a modest salary is never easy, yet they shined through every step of the way. And yet, they get bestowed with the low honor of being thrown into a nursing home, never to see their grandkids again until they die.

A subject like this should be treated with the utmost care and respect, and as noble as the intentions of Broche de Oro (2012) are, it's executed in a flimsy way. I'm not suggesting this film should've been heavy-handed with its subject, but it shouldn't have been too disjointed in its focus. The movie can't seem to balance its humor with the dramatic undertones of the story. Most of the jokes fall flat, with many scenes serving little purpose other than to pad the film's runtime to 90 minutes. They feel out of place, particularly a joke that involves alien abduction of all things. These scenes could've instead explored the dramatic scenes of the movie and fleshed out the dramatic undertones to better effect. 

Speaking of the dramatic moments, they lack emotional depth for the most part. They feel half-baked due to little development or the lack of connection between the characters. Rafael's relationship with his estranged son is undercooked because the movie is focused too much on comedic hijinks. It would've worked better with a more balanced tone and removing the scenes that serve no purpose or reworking them to flesh out the drama and keep the humor restrained. As I previously mentioned, it's let down by a script that's not too well written by its director. 

It's unfortunate since Jacobo Morales does well in the role as a likable character and has great chemistry with the other two leads. The acting across the board is fine, with the three leads having some genuinely funny moments. Their antics never feel obnoxious or stretch for too long, which keeps the humor from being labeled as forced and obnoxious. Another bright spot in the movie is the late great Luis Raúl, who shines in the role of the bumbling security guard of the retirement home. For as short as his time on the screen is, He has some genuinely funny moments in the film, considering the material he worked with. For readers who aren't from Puerto Rico, Luis Raúl was a stand-up comedian known for his vulgar, self-deprecating humor on life in Puerto Rico and the characters he portrayed in his shows. Broche de Oro (2012) was one of his few film appearances and one of his last roles before his death from kidney failure at 51 years old in 2014. Although his final work was the stand-up comedy Qué OJOnes! (2014) released posthumously, his final film was the comedy 200 Cartas (2013), which starred a pre-Hamilton Lin-Manuel Miranda. 

Overall, Broche de Oro (2012) is a likable but forgettable comedy in the Puerto Rican comedy film canon. Most of these movies range from being decent at best (La Guagua aerea, Prótesis) to absolutely horrendous (Qué Joyitas!, Daniel el Travieso: Una Aventura Familiar). Broche de Oro (2012) isn't a comedic atrocity like the films mentioned, but it's not great. Despite that, I can't bring myself to hate it. It's a passable movie, but one I will not remember in the coming years.