Review No.117: Casa Di Me Padre

I always think it must be hard for English-speaking actors to star in a film were they have to speak in an entirely different language for example Kristen Scott Thomas who was utterly convincing as a Frenchwoman in brilliant films such as I've Loved You So Long and Leaving. This year Will Ferrell has also had a go at it by donning a Spanish accent to play a Mexican ranch hand in supposed comedy Casa Di Me Padre. Ferrell's Armando Alvarez lives works on his father's ranch but is a constant disappointment to him because, as we found out later in the film, he shot and killed his own mother after trying to defend her from bandits. Armando is worried that drug dealers are taking over the land he loves and killing off fellow citizens but as he is a weak man he can do nothing about it. Armando's brother Raul, played by Diego Luna, returns to the ranch with a new girlfriend Sonia who is actually the niece of Gael Garcia Bernal's drug lord El Onzo. Raul is the apple of his father's eye but Armando is shocked to discover that his brother is also a drug dealer and that's why he can afford to buy his future wife expensive items. Sonia though is drawn to Armando who is much more of a romantic than Raul but as she wants to stay loyal to her current beau she is torn between the two brothers. With rival drug lords in the area it's only a matter of time before a showdown occurs which also features crooked cops one of whom has a connection to the boys' mother but will they be able to save the day?

I will start by saying that I'm normally a big fan of Ferrell's in particular I love the films were he doesn't play it broad such as Stranger than Fiction or the recent Everything Must Go. In Casa De Mi Padre the central joke seems to be that the former Ron Burgundy is speaking Spanish however that wears thin fairly quickly. Former Y Tu Mama Tambien brethren Luna and Bernal both seem to be having a hoot as the drug dealers, with the latter playing a similar part in Contraband, but again there's not much humour to be had in the shoot-out. For me the funniest moments come when director Matt Piedmont is keen to point out that the film was supposedly shot on a small budget with very dodgy edits happening throughout. My favourite moment was possibly when the action stopped for one of the assistant cameramen to inform us that they did shoot a fight between two big cats however it got too violent as both got into the cocaine supply and ended up killing several crew members. For me though, while I smiled several times, I never once burst out laughing which for me is unusual during a film with Ferrell on stage. The exterior settings do add a certain authenticity to proceedings and all the cast did a good job but at the end of the day I felt Casa Di Me Padre was a little flat despite Ferrell's very convincing Spanish accent.

Verdict: A couple of good in-jokes about the overall production and Bernal and Luna's big performances stopped this from being a complete dud but because it felt fairly flat I can only give it 5/10

Review No.110: Even the Rain

After having my brain well and truly numbed by the dire Piranha 3DD it was time to try a film that had a bit of a message to it with the Latin American movie Even the Rain. The film is based around a Mexican film crew going to Bolivia to make a film about Christopher Columbus' voyage to the new world as well as him trying to impose his religious beliefs on the natives and their eventual rebellion. In the opening scene we see Gael Garcia Bernal's director Sebastian and Luis Tosar's executive producer Costa greeted with a long line of natives wanting to be considered by parts after the former advertised an open casting. Though the filming team goes back on their word they are confronted by the resilient Daniel who is eventually cast as Atuey the Taino Chief with his real life daughter playing his daughter in the film. The uprising of the Indians in Sebastian's film is shot concurrently alongside the current protests in Bolivia as they take offence to their water supply being privatised and demand to be given a voice. As Daniel leads these protests both Costa and Sebastian are constantly having to bail him out of jail however the incidents become increasingly more violent and they both worry that they won't be able to finish the film. Throughout the film both of their attitudes' to the natives change as the initially liberal Sebastian finds the constant protests are hindering the progress of the story he feels he needs to tell while the financially-minded Costa becomes close to Daniel with him ultimately making a major sacrifice in the film's closing scenes.

Though I'm not usually a big fan of political message Even the Rain really drew me in to the plight of the Bolivians by drawing it alongside the story of these wealthy movie folks. Though the film-makers bemoan the exploitation of the Bolivians they to are using these locals as extras because they are a lot cheaper than their Hollywood counterparts. This hypocritical behaviour is pointed out several times, most notably by the drunken actor playing Columbus, however we the audience are allowed to make our own minds up about the central characters as they change during their time in Bolivia. For me the best performance in the film comes from Tosar who was absolutely terrifying in Cell 211 but here is much more of a kind individual even if at times he comes across a trifle authoritative. Juan Carlos Aduviri also feels completely natural in the role of Daniel as he shows how easy it is to seem powerful without saying anything at all. The mainly exterior locations look great while the final scenes of the full-scale rebellion of the Bolivians are made as realistic as possible. Though not a perfect film, at times I felt it a little too preachy, Even the Rain is a well-written excellently acted parable about exploitation and history repeating itself which neither underestimates or alienates the audience throughout.

Verdict: A thoroughly enjoyable film about exploitation and how your opinions can change with two great performances from Tosar and Aduviri easily gets 8.5/10