Episode 1 of La Máquina overcomes clichés of the washed-up boxer with energetic pacing, plenty of laughs and charming leads.
Showrunner & Writer: Marco Ramirez
Director: Gabriel Ripstein
Genre: Sport Drama
Number of episodes: 6
Starring: Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, Eiza González
Release Date: October 9, 2024, all episodes at once
Where to watch: Hulu (US) and Disney Plus (UK & Ireland)
Haven’t we been here before? A washed-up boxer looks for a way back into the ring, and into the hearts of those nearest to him; it’s a tale as old as Genesis. Credit where it’s due, La Máquina looks a little further beyond the tale of the underdog looking to prove himself. Rocky’s done that story plenty of times, as have countless pretenders to his title since. Episode 1 of Hulu and Disney+’s new mini-series has plenty of the scenes you’d expect in a tale like this, but it’s infused with a driven entertaining energy that ensures we’re rooting for our central pugilist from the off, and that familiar ground becomes a welcome place to be.
La Máquina translates as The Machine, but when we meet Esteban (Gael García Bernal), a.k.a. ‘La Máquina’, the machine has broken down. A welterweight bout with an arch rival ends in the back of an ambulance, knocked out in Round One. Sat by his side and reassuring poor Esteban that all is well is his best friend and manager Andy (Diego Luna). Bernal and Luna co-starred in Y Tu Mamá También at the start of their careers and, no matter where their respective trajectories have gone, it is always fun to see them reunite. The friends bring real chemistry to any scenes they share in a given project, and La Máquina shines when they get to bounce off one another.
Episode 1 ensures the dynamic between the two is nailed in place from the off. Andy is trying to restore Esteban’s credibility by getting him sponsorship deals, but no-one’s interested in a broken Machine. Meanwhile, Esteban trains and keeps his health up, but unwelcome flashbacks to his past suggest he’s haunted by demons and illness in equal measure. Watching the two work to make a comeback happen reflects the genesis of La Máquina itself. By the stars’ own admission, it was borne of a drunken conversation at a film festival, but as producers and stars, they’ve seen the project through to completion. Much like Esteban, La Máquina threatens to fall under the weight of generic expectation, but it packs a few surprising punches.
Perhaps the most surprising thing is that the emphasis isn’t entirely on the sportsman. Andy is arguably more dependent on Esteban getting another shot than Esteban himself. Marco Ramirez’s script gives both leads plenty to chew on, but recognises that Andy’s story has less clichés to deal with, and thus is more interesting by default. As played by Luna behind some deliberately iffy prosthetics, Andy is a self-deluding huckster with more money than sense. Episode 1 demonstrates he lives in a world of big houses, sharp suits and cosmetic surgery, with debts to pay and Mommy issues for good measure. Luna is always an entertaining and compelling performer, and he’s matched here by Bernal, with a performance of equal parts physical commitment and emotional intensity. Bernal’s broken masculinity and Luna’s gonzo energy continue to prove a potent match.
Director Gabriel Ripstein channels his inner Scorsese, and tails the leads with his camera like his life depends on it. He knows that Luna and Bernal are the reason we’re here, and he has the resources and sense to focus on them and make them look good. Other actors and plotlines threaten from the sidelines, but the relationship between Andy and Esteban is firmly established as La Máquina’s bedrock. There is no doubt that Esteban’s ex-wife (Eiza González) and those mysterious phone calls to Andy calling in a favour will play a bigger part in the story later on. In the meantime, episode 1 is ribald and funny enough on its own, and its stars are magnetic as ever. La Máquina is off to a good start; ¡Vamos!
All six episodes of La Máquina will be available to stream on Hulu (US) and Disney Plus (UK) from October 9, 2024.
