I Give 'Pedro The Movie' Two Thumbs Up

Tonight at 8PM MTV will air Pedro The Movie, a tribute film based on the life of Real World San Francisco cast member Pedro Zamora. Luckily, I was able to get my hands on a screener so I could review the movie for my faithful readers so here goes.

At face value, Pedro is a film made by MTV about a character on an MTV reality show but really the story is much deeper than that. We see Pedro and his family arrive in Miami as refugees from Cuba, we see him deal with his mother’s illness as a young boy, we see him struggle as his father and sister reject his life partner Sean and, of course, we watch as he battles with the HIV virus.

There are a few missteps along the way however, mainly in the way that scenes in the Real World house were handled. Perhaps for young viewers who never watched the Real World San Francisco, the recreated scenes won’t be so jarring but for me it was just weird to see Fake Judd crushing on Fake Pam and Fake Puck wiping his fake boogers on the table.

But there’s something here for everyone. As a viewer of the original series, which aired in 1994, I found it interesting to see how conscious of the cameras the San Fran cast was. This season took place back in the day when production didn’t film around the clock so throughout the movie we see the cast members pausing their conversations so that the cameraman can switch the tape or seeking out the shooters before they have an important conversation.

But that’s what Pedro (the man) was all about. He went on the Real World to share his story. For him it wasn’t just about living in a house with a bunch of strangers and partying or fighting over dishes. It was about using the MTV platform to educate the masses about the HIV virus. And though it’s been 15 years since his death his story still has the ability to affect change.

All in all, Pedro The Movie is an incredibly moving film that will effectively share Pedro’s story with a new generation of MTV viewers and that’s ultimately what matters.