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Flash Movie Review: Pulling Strings
Oh, the things some of us do to impress or sway the opinion of another person. I was dating someone who was the cohost of a local cable talk show. Their expertise involved anything that had to do with food. I know what you are thinking, my dreams were coming true. After being invited to their place for dinner a couple of times I wanted to reciprocate, but was totally intimidated by their cooking prowess. Not having much experience with cooking meals from scratch, I was nervous to invite them for a home cooked meal. Keep in mind “home cooked” meant a frozen pizza or a can of soup for me back then. For two weeks I scoured all kinds of recipe books, looking for one that listed exact measurements. I am one of those people who cannot be told to throw in a pinch of salt or add an ingredient for taste. Up until we sat down at the table, my stress level was wreaking havoc with my stomach; I could barely eat what I cooked. I knew the meal was nothing close to their elaborate meals; I could only hope I would get points for the effort. This is why I could relate to the main character in this romantic comedy. Jaime Camil (Saving Private Perez, Regresa) played mariachi singer Alejandro. Wanting a better life for his daughter, Alejandro applied for a visa at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. It was denied by embassy employee Rachel, played by Laura Ramsey (The Ruins, The Covenant). However, life had a funny way of presenting a second opportunity to make a good impression when Alejandro spotted Laura at a party he was performing at with his band. Jaime Camil was such a likable character in this bilingual film that I did not mind the formulaic story line. A bonus was his beautiful singing voice. The acting was standard; I was surprised to see Stockard Channing (Six Degrees of Separation, Grease) as Virginia and Tom Arnold (True Lies, Nine Months) as Art taking part in this film. Though I have not investigated, I had to wonder as I was watching the movie if it was quickly made due to the success of the Mexican film “Instructions Not Included” which I reviewed recently. There was a low budget feeling to the sets for me. Irregardless, I had to give points for the effort made to create a sweet romantic story. Some scenes had Spanish with English subtitles.
2 1/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Instructions Not Included
The past weekend was exhaustive for me. It was one of those where everything had to precisely coordinate like a finely tuned Swiss made watch. I even had to schedule in bathroom times. By Sunday night I was totally drained of energy, feeling defenseless against Earth’s gravitational pull. What propelled me through the weekend was the knowledge that Monday was a holiday and I could stay home to restore some semblance of balance back into my life. Believe it or not, the idea of leaving home to even see a movie was not something I wanted to do. Now you know I must have been super tired. But would you believe that little voice in my head kept badgering me, telling me I should go to the movies because one never knows what the next day will bring. Pulling a cap over my frantic, slept on hair; I forced myself to a matinee show. Having seen the trailer some time ago, I really could not recall anything about the film I was about to see. Several minutes into the movie I thought it was going to be a typical goofy movie about mistaken identities. But then something magical happened and the story lifted me out of myself, transporting me to Mexico. I was no longer tired; the demanding eventful weekend faded away and I was drawn into this dramatic comedy. Eugenio Derbez (Jack and Jill, La Familia P. Luche-TV) as Valentin was surprised when a former fling named Julie, played by Jessica Lindsey (Now You See Me), appeared at his front door with a baby. Having him hold his daughter so she could go pay the cab fare, Julie never returned. With fatherhood not being part of his plans, Valentin decided to take the baby and travel to America to track down Julie. As time passed, father and daughter began to depend and learn from each other in their new place. This tender movie scored a bull’s-eye to the heart. Though I found Eugenio’s acting to have an over emphasized quality to it, his timing was impeccable. The connection he had with his daughter Maggie, played by dynamite newcomer Loreto Peralta, was incredible. I found some scenes made a sudden jump between comedy and drama; however, it did not take away from the carefully laid out story. Not only did this movie do a wonderful job in showing how love made a family, it provided another example of how a movie can affect us. The story moved me while the movie took me away. I left the theater feeling revitalized, happy to have seen this sweet, tender film. Spanish with English subtitles.
3 stars
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