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‘Going Varsity in Mariachi’ Review: Netflix Doc Follows Texas Teenagers Through the Ups and Downs of Statewide Band Competitions
Netflix's new documentary 'Going Varsity in Mariachi' provides an engaging portrait of the world of high school band competitions in Texas.
Although it may sound in synopsis like a niche-audience attraction, this engaging and entertaining documentary about Texas high-schoolers playing for keeps in statewide mariachi band competitions has the right stuff to delight even viewers who normally wouldn’t know the difference between a grito and a guitarrón. Not unlike a high school football coach forced to reorganize after the graduation of key players, dedicated band director Abel Acuña finds himself in the process of rebuilding with several newbies in the mix — including violinists, trumpeters and a novice who appears barely able to handle, much less effectively strum, his bulky guitarrón (i.e., a deep-bodied Mexican six-string acoustic bass guitar). Bella, the charismatic violinist who serves as both the varsity team captain and de facto female lead of the movie, sees music as the best way to earn a scholarship to pursue higher education in pharmaceutical studies.
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