Joel Alfonso Vargas and the cast and crew of “Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo)” attend the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere at Library Center Theatre. (Photo by Jason Peters for Sundance Institute)
By Jessica Herndon
In Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo), premiering in the NEXT section at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on January 26, writer-director Joel Alfonso Vargas drops us in the Bronx for a fresh tale on love, hustle, and responsibility. Played with magnetic charm by Juan Collado, Rico spends his days slinging homemade cocktails from a cooler on Orchard Beach. But when his pregnant girlfriend, Destiny, brought to life with quiet tenacity by Destiny Checo, moves into his already cramped family apartment shared with Rico’s sister and mom, the weight of real-life responsibilities comes crashing in. What starts as a carefree season of making money and making moves soon spirals into a whirlwind of growing pains, forcing Rico to confront the realities of adulthood.
Vargas, a Bronx native, delivers a raw and authentic debut feature that feels undeniably real and plays like an ode to his Dominican American community. “A lot of the guys I grew up around were like Rico; they were hustlers,” Vargas says to the crowd during the post-premiere Q&A, when asked by a Bronx-bred audience member about the inspiration behind Rico’s story. “This character, in particular, is a combination of my oldest brother and my older brother’s good friends. They just were so charismatic. It’s an amalgamation of all of these guys. You grew up in the Bronx, you probably know so many people like Rico.” The crowd breaks out laughing when the audience member yells, “That’s how my family is!” Through chuckles, Vargas says, “Yeah! It’s like a love letter to these types of characters and this world.”
The film’s improvisational energy and raw dialogue paint a moving and often hilarious picture of what it means to grow up fast when life throws curveballs. Rico’s journey is a delicate balance that Collado captures effortlessly, playing off Checo’s grounded, exquisite performance as his determined lady. “Us not having a script and most of it being improvised brought more authenticity to [the film],” says Collado, standing alongside Vargas after the premiere. “I was able to bring New York to life, and my character to life, and how people act in New York. Giving us creative control on our lines and how they were delivered definitely brought life into the film.”
Shooting long takes was also something the cast, particularly Collado, loved. “I went to film school in Brooklyn, that’s my alma mater, Brooklyn College. I used to only watch one-takes, like Birdman. When we were doing this, it was like, ‘Yo, it’s crazy!’ Life prepares you for the future.” Adds Vargas of their process, “We’d go through the quickest rehearsal ever and then from take to take we’d continue to shape [the scene].” Of the fly-on-the-wall feel of the movie, which a few audience members call out as one of their favorite aspects, Vargas says, “I like films that are observational. We wanted the film to feel like a series of photographs.”
Yohanna Florentino, who shines as Rico’s protective yet loving mother, stresses to the audience the importance of telling a story about young love and a young man growing up through the lens of a Dominican family in our current political climate. “At this particular time when diversity and inclusion is trying to get erased, to see Dominican culture — we need to see more of people [who] we really don’t see on the screen.” Nathaly Navarro underscores Florentino’s point. “My family is from the Dominican Republic and I was born in Puerto Rico, and it was so great to be part of a story that shows Black Latinos.”
Regarding representation, Checo also chimes in. “I wanted to add that yes, there aren’t a lot of Black Latinos on the screen, but we also come in different shapes and sizes,” she says. “So, I was very happy to be able to bring Destiny to life, being also considered a plus size woman. I love Joel for that! He could have easily found another actress that fits within society’s portrait of a Dominican woman. I am glad that I was able to break that barrier.”
Vargas’ film paints a bold, stylish portrait of young love, family dynamics, and identity. It freshly digs into the messiness of growing up and is a sharp and sincere first feature that marks him as a filmmaker to watch.
