In the comedy Olmo, 14-year-old Olmo Lopez (Aivan Uttapa) lives in Las Cruces, New Mexico, around the year 1979. As a typical 14-year-old, he pines for Nina (Melanie Frometa), the girl next door, loves muscle cars, and practices dance moves hoping to impress girls. There is one difference that sets him apart: His father, Néstor (Gustavo Sánchez Parra), has advanced multiple sclerosis and needs constant care. When his mother has to take a second shift and his sister, Ana (Rosa Armendariz), is set to go to a roller disco party, the responsibility falls on Olmo to take care of his dad, to both their dismay. Also, unbeknownst to the rest of the family, Olmo and his best friend Miguel (Diego Olmedo) have been invited to Nina’s party—as long as they provide the stereo, which is one of Néstor’s prized possessions. This sets up a domino effect of chaotic events.

With the quirkiness of Napoleon Dynamite and the horniness of Superbad, yet beholden to a style all its own, Olmo stakes its claim in the coming-of-age pantheon by focusing on earned sentimentality and the bonds of family, no matter how much said family drives you bonkers. Director and co-writer (along with Vanesa Garnica) Fernando Eimbcke creates a unique atmosphere and elicits subtle, straightforward, and honest performances from the young cast. Olmo’s humor is as dry as the New Mexico desert, letting no one off the hook as it portrays how selfishness can divide a family and how overcoming said selfishness can make that family stronger. Yet there is no preaching, just a solid comedic premise and affecting performances.

There are moments of pure comic joy, such as when Olmo’s father and his flashier brother-in-law verbally duke it out over who is the best griller and who actually owns the grill that Néstor can no longer physically use, or when Olmo and Miguel bring the stereo to Nina’s party only to find they are definitely NOT at Nina’s party. There are sweet moments as well: Néstor instructs Olmo and Miguel on how to fix the stereo that Néstor has no idea they have decided to purloin for the evening.

All the performances are subtle and naturalistic, benefiting from crack comic timing. Andrea Suárez Paz particularly scores as the harried, overworked matriarch, exuding a tired competence coupled with an unbridled tenderness. Diego Olmedo as Miguel steals scene after scene with subtle comic reactions. Uttapa, in the title role, is a real find. He perfectly captures the frustration of an overlooked teen trying to get through an average day in the late ’70s: watching Tom and Jerry, fantasizing about the neighbor, and hanging with his friends. Yet obstacle after obstacle keeps getting in his way, forcing him to at least attempt to make adult decisions (mostly, he fails).

Cinematographer Carolina Costa gives a unique look to the film and makes excellent use of the location. Her framing and sense of depth are excellent. And Eimbcke’s ability to shift tone while keeping the story relatable and realistic is quite impressive. All in all, Olmo is sweet-natured, heartwarming, and slyly funny.