CLFF 2013: Route of the Moon

This is a lighter road film/father-son comedy-drama from Panama that I saw at last month's Chicago Latino Film Festival. Tito is a professional bowler but is an albino, so he fears being made fun of.  He is invited to compete in a championship, and really wants to go, but just about this same time his estranged father Cesar in San Jose needs looking after.  Cesar has heart troubles and is a former boxing coach living in the past, believing he can still coach the next big champion.  Being a still active guy, the fact that his son is a champ in a "non-athletic" sport annoys him.  Their personalities also don't match, as Tito is closemouthed and Cesar is large as life. Against doctor's orders, Cesar drives himself and Tito back from San Jose but along the way picks up an attractive young hitchhiker, Yadia, because the bus won't also take her dog (although it runs away shortly after Cesar offers her a ride).  Her presence and perception of the father/son dynamics is what eventually gets Tito to realize that his father needs to be fulfilled as much as he does himself, even if it is in a small way.  As expected in films of this sort, Cesar too learns to appreciate his son’s personality.  Both men can give a little in order that each gets a little. There is some lightly touched upon comments regarding Tito's deceased mother who was probably also a binding force in the family, and now that she is gone, the bind between father and son is also gone.  The story has a feel good ending as Cesar allows himself to realize he can still have his dream but in a smaller way and Tito also recognizing that he shouldn't deny his father's right to pursue that dream.  This is a nice looking film with a lot of Latin music with great beats, with many great picturesque locales.  I'd like to listen to this soundtrack again.