Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal reunite on display screen alongside Eiza Gonzalez for his or her first tv sequence.
Plot: After a devastating loss, Esteban “La Máquina” Osuna is at a low level in his boxing profession. Fortunate for him, his supervisor and finest pal Andy Lujan is decided to get him again on high. However when a nefarious group rears its head, the stakes of this rematch grow to be life or demise. Whereas struggling to mount a comeback, Esteban should additionally juggle his personal private demons and shield his household, together with his ex-wife Irasema, a journalist who finds herself on a collision course with the darkish aspect of the boxing world.
Overview: Whereas many boxing movies and sequence have centered on the sports activities side, La Maquina skews in direction of the fallout and repercussions of being a profitable athlete. Lifelong buddies Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal have starred in 4 movies collectively and produced numerous extra, however La Maquina is their first tv venture. Coming twenty-three years since they co-starred within the traditional Y Tu Mama Tambien, Luna and Bernal have skilled success collectively and aside, with every having been concerned within the worlds of Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, respectively. Instructed throughout six episodes, La Maquina is a strong drama that showcases what Luna, Bernal, and Eiza Gonzalez are able to in a story that initially treads acquainted territory earlier than differentiating itself because the plot unfolds. As Hulu’s first unique Spanish language effort, this spectacular manufacturing blends sports activities, drama, and humor for a singular sequence occasion.
La Maquina follows the lifelong friendship between boxer Esteban “La Maquina” Osuna (Gael Garcia Bernal) and his supervisor Andy (Diego Luna). Esteban is on the tail finish of his profitable profession as a fighter and is poised for a championship match when he loses spectacularly. Desperately needing a monetary windfall depending on Esteban, Andy orchestrates a fast rematch and does no matter it takes to make sure it goes off of their favor. All of the whereas, Esteban contemplates his life after boxing, together with his relationship together with his two sons and his ex-wife, Irasema (Eiza Gonzalez). Esteban additionally should face the fallout of a profession of getting punched as he begins experiencing hallucinations, which can be an indication of a extra critical medical analysis. Because the story unfolds, it turns into clear that extra than simply athletics is at play as a sinister drive returns to gather what they’re owed.
Each Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna are immeasurably proficient performers and have distinct characters in La Maquina. Esteban is the extra grounded character whose challenges romantically and emotionally are subtly performed on display screen as Bernal carries a full vary of emotion in his eyes alone. We be taught a lot about his life, particularly his tough childhood, via flashbacks that Bernal should encapsulate all of that via facial expressions. Conversely, Diego Luna is sort of unrecognizable as Andy, with a wig, lip fillers, make-up, and extra beauty enhancements that do little to cover Andy’s large inferiority advanced, which is accentuated by a creepy relationship he shares together with his mom, Josefina (Lucia Mendez). As their friendship begins to crack beneath the immense stress of their enterprise relationship and familial bonds, Bernal and Luna painting Esteban and Andy as fictional shadows of their real-life friendship, very like how their chemistry got here to the display screen in Y Tu Mama Tambien, Luna and Bernal handle to imbue these characters with an analogous bond a long time after that traditional Alfonso Cuaron movie.
Nearly as good as Bernal and Luna are right here, Eiza Gonzalez is phenomenal. Regardless of being over a decade youthful than her co-stars, Gonzalez holds her personal because the veteran journalist and ex-wife of Esteban. There’s undoubtedly a love shared between these three characters that runs deep, and Irasema serves as a voice of purpose, in addition to the one who calls Esteban and Andy on their lies and excuses. Gonzalez has proven a prowess for robust main characters, which she carries into this supporting position. As a result of La Maquina is absolutely in Spanish, all three actors present that they and the supporting solid can deliver as a lot depth to roles whatever the language of the venture. Set in varied areas starting from a number of in Mexico to Las Vegas and past, La Maquina typically straddles the road between genres however by no means seems like a international manufacturing however relatively a worldwide one.
Based mostly on an unique story developed by Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, Julian Herbert, and Monika Revilla, La Maquina is directed by Gabriel Ripstein and has scripts by Marco Ramirez, Andres Fischer-Centeno, and others. The six-episode sequence begins out dramatically with an extended take that shifts into some parts of humor earlier than fully shifting into drama once more. There’s a surreal nature to among the story, which begins to tackle extra advanced parts involving medicine, homicide, crime, abuse, and another reveals, which I can’t spoil right here. By the penultimate episode, La Maquina reaches a precipice that dangers alienating the viewers with a daring plot twist that certainly pays off within the finale. As a result of the sequence is the brainchild of the 2 lead actors, La Maquina carries a further heft due to the non-public funding from each Luna and Bernal.
La Maquina is extra centered on the fallout and tangential affect of boxing relatively than being a sports activities story. Sport is essential to who Esteban Osuna is and the way Andy reaches the extent of success that he does, however in contrast to the short-lived FX sequence Lights Out or the Rocky and Creed franchises, La Maquina makes use of boxing as an entry into the lives of those characters whereas exploring the depths that Esteban and Andy should go to as they attempt to reconcile their private demons with their public success. Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna are phenomenal actors in all the things they do, however they attain a distinct stage once they work collectively. La Maquina is an excellent companion piece to their earlier collaborations and deserves to be seen by followers of the actors and people who love strong dramatic tales.
La Maquina premieres all six episodes on October ninth on Hulu.
