Mad Bills to Pay

In a tight knit Dominican American community in The Bronx, Rico (Juan Collado) is hustling his way through the summer, selling bootleg “nutcracker” cocktails out of a beach cooler and chasing girls without a care. Until, that is, one girlfriend (Destiny Checo) begins crashing at his place – already overloaded with family – turning the small apartment into a stage for messy young love. Writer-director Joel Alfonso Vargas makes New York the heartbeat of his debut feature, collaborating with discovery talents Collado and Checo to deliver an unvarnished look at the joys and realities of young lives in motion. Described by IndieWire as “a vibrant tableau anchored by incredible performances,” Mad Bills to Pay (Destiny, dile que no soy malo) is a memorable tale of youthful abandon encountering the unexpected. Special Jury Award, Sundance Film Festival. In English and Spanish with English subtitles. (101 minutes)

“Critic’s Pick! Exuberant, assured and crackling with energy.”

– Manohla Dargis, The New York Times