Marcos Bucay’s Mexican comedy Bankrolled (Fondeados in Spanish) runs high on stimulant drug and tech motivation. At the center of its plot are two aspiring entrepreneurs, influenced by Jobs-Wozniak. With the zeal to change the world, or more accurately, their economic conditions, these two roommates brainstorm a life-changing business idea. Will they succeed? Writer-Director Marcos Bucay explores the possibility through a hilarious tale.
Plot Summary
Two 30-year-old roommates, Polo Ríos (Aldo Escalante) and Blas Solano (Ricardo Polanco) begin their routine with a dose of motivation and information. Polo is a physically insecure lad hustling to lose weight. Until now, he has lost 90 kgs, and the credit goes to his impelling girlfriend, Sandra. On the other hand, Blas is a bored individual with a superiority complex. He aspires to invent his own signature coffee drink but is too sluggish to hustle for his goals. While Polo wants to earn a place among elite entrepreneurs and influencers, Blas just wants to stay away from people living in Cadaqués, read Gaudi’s biography, and drink espresso.
On Polo’s insistence, Blas visits a house party insulted by their successful college friends. Blas tries to cheer up a demotivated Polo. Before leaving the premises, they accidentally meet an old friend Aderales (Fabrizio Santini), who works as a drug dealer (Nootropic dealer). He hands them a secret to economic success, a bottle of a stimulant drug.
The following morning, while jogging, Polo receives a notification that informs him about a donation on his startup idea on the Bankrolled app (a crowdfunding platform). Palo and Blas play their uploaded video on Bankrolled and learn that under the influence of a stimulant drug, they accidentally coined a startup called SignNow. It’s an idea for a platform that combines petition signing, social media, and gaming. At first, Polo and Blas undermine the idea, but when it starts receiving massive funding on Bankrolled, they decide to give it a try. Bankrolled creators sponsor their upcoming app and sign them as partners. But, neither Polo nor Blas has any experience in designing an app. That’s where all the conflict begins.
‘Bankrolled’ Ending Explained
An ambitious Polo took all the credit for the ideation and creation of SignNow, and to teach him a lesson, Blas coded the app. He eliminated the visibility of likes and the ability to see public ranking that terminated the possibility of flaunting one’s philanthropy efforts. The stance enraged the app’s investors and its sponsor, Bankrolled. Due to heavy criticism, users uninstalled the SignNow app, and their idea went down the drain. A damaging strike resulted in the bankruptcy of Bankrolled, and all its employees, including Natalia, were fired.
Life-long friends, Polo and Blas, got separated after their brawl. Blas left Polo’s apartment and started living with his parents. A disheartened and humiliated Polo decided to fix the disarray he created out of his selfishness. He started making motivational videos for different social media platforms and soon became a famous influencer. To reinstate his friendship with Blas, Polo sent him a mysterious postcard and invited him to a Barista Competition. When Blas reached the venue, he found that he had already been registered for the competition. Polo designed a scheme to connect Blas with his dream to brew his signature coffee in an extraordinary gesture. Blas won the third prize in the event as he impressed the judges with his black coffee special, “Blow My Mind.”
In the end, the two friends reconciled their relationship and pursued their individual goals. Polo became a popular v-blogger and created motivational videos. At the same time, Blas started working in a coffee shop where he served his special coffee drinks. Polo’s college friend, Cano, invested in his video blog and wrote him a cheque. He used the money to pay off his debt to Youth Bank and at last cleared his name. Polo also met Natalia, who started working for the Youth Bank after she was fired from Bankrolled. The two forgave each other and promised to begin anew.
‘Bankrolled’ Credit Scene
The ending of Bankrolled follows a credit sequence in which three friends, Palo, Blas, and Aders, share a warm gathering at the coffee shop (where Blas worked). The three companions discuss more crazy startup ideas to explore and invest in.
The scene ends with a farcical startup called Genetimex that tells you if you are a descendant of Moctezuma through your gene sample. Whatever ship these friends sail from hereon, they are definitely going to stick in each other’s thick and thin.
Bankrolled (Fondeados) is a 2021 Mexican Drama Comedy film written and directed by Marcos Bucay. The film is in the Spanish Language.
