Movie Review: An Evangelical Father Is Forced Into Conversion Therapy After His Homosexuality Is Exposed In “Temblores”

The coming out of an evangelical father shatters his family, his community and uncovers a profoundly repressive society.

When Pablo (Juan Pablo Olyslager) leaves his wife and children to move in with his lover Francisco, (Mauricio Armas Zebadúa), the shame of his homosexuality torments him. As his wife Isa (Diane Bathen) approaches the church for guidance, she demands Pablo cure his so-called illness for the sake of the children. Determined to hold the family together, Isa turns to religion as the only way to bring Pablo back to what she considers normal. Pablo begins to questions his own identity and manhood as he doesn’t feel comfortable within the gay culture. When word spreads about his infidelity, his life begins to fall apart as he is fired from his job and his wife prevents him from seeing his children.

Church members pray daily for Pablo’s return, but his family begins to lose hope as they start blaming each other for why he prefers men. The last resort established is to force Pablo into a transitional program designed to rid him of his homosexual thoughts. If he denies the program, Isa threatens to move away with the children and never return. As Pablo submits to the program, he leaves Francisco and decides that he will suppress his authentic self and live a lie rather than lose his family.

I think this film is powerful and makes you think about how many other closeted homosexuals are married with children living a lie and playing the role of the perfect straight partner. It’s actually very scary that we as a society are still not in a place of fully accepting all sexualities as normal. I’m always shocked that religion is still used to threaten individuals to conform to society’s ideals especially when it comes to sexuality. As the story comes to an end, Pablo tells the church he wants to change and become better. We get this perfect glimpse of him in the bathroom washing his face in shame, knowing he will always have the urge to be romantic with men. I love the final scene where there is a reveal of his daughter catching him in the moment. She realizes that her father will never be what society calls better, he will be that person everyone is afraid and ashamed of.

Now playing in select theaters