Adolfo Rivera (Germain Arroyo) is an energetic 18-year-old Puerto Rican boxer from a conservative Catholic family in Miami, Florida. He is talented and has won each of his fights so far, under the guidance of his handsome trainer, his brother Ramon (Danon Leyva). He lives at home in a close-knit family with his mum and dad. His mother has plans for him to marry a friend’s daughter Camila (Marisa Davila), but Adolfo is secretly coming to terms with the fact that he desires to transition into a woman. He juggles his macho training and fighting schedule with secret trips to cosmetic stores to buy make-up which he experiments with at home. He keeps a box under his bed full of cash from his fight winnings, saving up for his surgery to transition. He finds it tough to keep a lid on his secret, especially in the face of the occasional homophobic comments from his family, and eventually seeks respite with the local drag community, who take him under their wing. How can he get to where he needs to be in life? His biggest fight.

Writer and director Noah Salzman has created a sweet, feel-good film that will appeal to younger audiences. The soundtrack, casting, sentiment, and overall energy are strong but the film is let down a little by a quite simple production, some basic acting, and the script could be sharper. It’s more like an extended episode of a soap opera, but that’s not a bad thing, as long as you know what to expect. 

CLOCKED is screening at OUTshine, Miami’s Queer Film Festival

Queerguru’s Contributing Editor Ris Fatah is a successful fashion/luxury business consultant  (when he can be bothered) who divides and wastes his time between London and Ibiza. He is a lover of all things queer, feminist, and human rights in general. @ris.fatah

OUTshine Film Fest begins on 4/20 and will end on 4/30 To see the whole program and book tickets check out https://outshinefilm.com/

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