La Maquina | TV Series Review
It’s the kind of chemistry that RomComs could only dream about having but Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna have done it again.
Hulu is bringing the first Spanish language original series to its platform and it’s starring two of the best Mexican actors of our generation. La Maquina tells the story of ageing boxer, Esteban (Gael Garcia Bernal) who is preparing to retire when his manager Andy (Diego Luna), finesses one last shot at a title. Though we’ve seen the story of the boxing world many times before but this story begins after the glitz and the glamour. It strips the allure of the world so many have fallen in love with and leaves you with the remnants of the glory. It’s gutwrenching to witness but Gael and Diego excel at bringing this story to life. The five episode series is a story of childhood trauma, of corruption within the boxing world, and of course because Diego and Gael cannot help themselves it’s a story of friendship.
The empathy for Esteban will hit you immediately. Gael’s portrayal of this complicated character is delicate and though he can often find himself making bad decisions, the audience will continue to root for him throughout the series. The down-on-their-luck boxer has appeared on our screens many times before but Gael finds a way to give this character the kind of depth that will have you aching for him. With a running theme of childhood trauma, that often gives us flashbacks of the life he left behind, Esteban is responsible for most of the heart that runs through this series.
Diego Luna is giving a career-best performance with his portrayal of Andy. If he wasn’t such a legendary actor, the prosthetics on his face would make him near unrecognizable and it all adds to the eccentric way he chooses to play Andy. He’s not an easy character to like and Diego walks that morally grey line so well that it’s easy to excuse the horrible behavior even when it puts others in dangerous predicaments. You can tell Diego Luna had a blast filming this series, his dedication to the role runs through every scene that he is in and we are all so much better for having witnessed it.
Eiza Gonzalez plays Irasema, Esteban’s ex-wife and it’s such a relief to have her portray a character with depth and multiple lines within a scene. What a time to be alive! Eiza is a talent that Hollywood has rarely known what to do with and it’s so refreshing to see Hulu take a chance and give her a character with layers and nuance. She plays the matriarch with the kind of strength that leaves room for vulnerability which is often such a difficult line to navigate.
We have been begging for representation and Hulu is handing it to us on a silver platter, with a cast that truly has chemistry and a story that is worth watching. If there ever was a time to invest on a new show, the time has arrived. La Maquina premieres on Hulu on October 9th.
