Pelo Malo, movie review: A moving and unaffected performance from Samuel Lange

(15) Mariana Rondón, 93 mins Starring: Samuel Lange, Samantha Castillo

Pelo Malo is the story of a troubled Venezuelan kid

"Bad hair" is the story of a troubled Venezuelan kid growing up in near poverty with his mother, who has lost his job, and is trying to come to terms with his sexuality. ("All he wants is to look nice and dress up," we are told.)

Junior (Samuel Lange) hates his curly hair and wants it to be straight. The film is shot in naturalistic verité-style.

The director Mariana Rondón elicits a moving and unaffected performance from Lange as the boy desperate to please his mother even as he realises how much his behaviour vexes her.