For so many men, high school is spent posturing. Who has the deepest musical knowledge? Who has the most expensive clothes? Who can make the dirtiest joke? Who remembers the most obscure athletes? Who could fight what animal? Who can care the least? These performances are the foundational dick-measuring texts of stereotypically shallow male friendships, those ofMiguel Wants to Fight
But Miguel is not a conscientious objector, or disloyal, or a coward, or particularly self-aware. It’s just shaken out that he’s never really gotten involved when his friends throw down. He’s a victim of circumstance, which isn’t an especially compelling character trait—though you get the impression that the rowdy Cass and Srini would pressure him into bloodying his knuckles regardless of his motives.
Director Oz Rodriguez adds his ability with young actors, establishing an easy rapport between a cast mostly trafficking in punched-up jokes delivered when characters are off-screen. Partha benefits most from this—he sells the fast-talking Srini’s underwhelming patter with energetic dedication—though Flores is also winning as a classic squirrely little guy squeaking out some desperate teen angst.