Peel (Monserrate, 2019) USA

Reviewed by William Edwards for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Peel:  Hi, Lazzaro; I really loved your movie.  What was it called again?

Lazzaro:  “Happy as Lazzaro”…

Peel:  Glad you’re so happy.  You look happy.

Lazzaro:  I’m not right now…but this guy Nico came up to me and told me not to give away the ending.

Peel:  Oh, sorry.

Lazzaro:  What was the name of your movie, by the way?

Peel:  “Peel”.

Lazzaro:   That’s pretty easy.  What was your movie about?

Peel:  So…I really love my mom and I lived with her for a long time until she died.

Lazzaro:  Sorry.

Peel:  It’s ok.  So, I was kind of confused for awhile because I didn’t know what to do.  So, I went to this lawyer who did my mom’s money and he told me that I got…inherited the house.

Lazzaro:  That’s nice; go ahead…this is interesting.

Peel:  So, I had to get some roommates because I still had the…what’s it called…?

Lazzaro:  The rent?

Peel:  Yeah…well, something else…something that starts with an “M”.  Anyways, I found these two nice guys named “Roy” who had this real masculine body and this strange guy named “Chuck”.  Oh, he’s a Mexican guy like you, Lazzaro.

Lazzaro:  I’m from Italy, but that’s ok.

Peel:  Oh, sorry.  So, they help me kind of get adjusted to things…you know, I never dated girls before.  So, I have this neighbor name Chun Ja.  She’s Asian.

Lazzaro:  Where’s that?

Peel:  Have no idea.  So, anyways, they put this big party for me and it was kind of fun.

Lazzaro:  I never had that happen to me.  Everybody seems to laugh at me.

Peel:  Oh, my.  So anyways, I really want to find my two brothers.  Do you have any brothers?

Lazzaro:  No…I don’t even know my parents.

Peel:  God; so sorry.  So, then why are you “happy”, like the title?

Lazzaro:  I just like living…just like you.  That’s why those guys brought us together in this..whatever this is.

Peel:  I like life, too!  So…well, I won’t give the ending since I end up finding my brothers and then…well, I’ll shut up.

Lazzaro:  I’ll try to see it; sounds real good.

Peel:  People say I’m really innocent and have a fresh outlook on life.

Lazzaro:  Yeah, me too.  Life is so wondrous and beautiful in its own way.

Peel:  Well, I’ve got to go.

Lazzaro:  Why?

Peel:  The writer of this interview has to go the bathroom and then eat something.

Lazzaro:  Oh, I see.  Ok, take care!  Nice to meet you, Peel.  Like your name, by the way.

Peel:  I like Lazzaro better.