Mambo Café

Mambo Cafe did what it was supposed to, which was to introduce Latin singer and actress Thalia to a new audience. Thalia is one of Mexico's biggest star. Her albums and soap operas has been sold in many different countries. Thalia gave a great performance, for someone who was barely learning the English language.The made for TV movie has a good plot to keep you attached to your seat. Mambo Cafe is funny and entertaining. I would like to see Thalia in more movies, I think she has great potential. Paul Rodriguez gives the performance that he is known for. His great comedic timing will keep you laughing. Mambo Cafe also introduced actor Rick Gonzalez. Gonzalez in known for his work in The Rookie, Old School, War of the Worlds, and in the upcoming films Pulse and First Snow.

About the only good thing about this film is that it has apparently put an end to Thalia acting career. You might think that anything Paul Rodriguez and Danny Aiello are in on can't be all bad, but this one comes close. I fast forwarded through over half the movie, and I still didn't miss anything (except maybe the chance to see a good film). An intriguing premise falls apart under the weight of a witless script and wooden performances. Just say no.

Right from the beginning I was lolling. That made it really uncomfortable because the rest of the people in the room were dead silent, and the embarrassment made me laugh even harder. Whether this movie warrants hyena-like laughter, I don't know. But it sure was an entertaining evening.

This movie has a quirky style that has to hit you just right for you to appreciate it. At times it borders on absurdist comedy (Airplane, Monty Python) but doesn't quite go all the way, instead striking a delicate balance between real & ridiculous. For example, the movie opens at a restaurant that's so desolate, their only "customer" is a homeless guy getting a freebie. Outside, tumbleweeds blow by. Tumbleweeds in New York City, c'mon that's hilarious! We soon realize that this film is very much tongue-in-cheek, and truly nothing is to be taken seriously. Though subtle, the movie is full of satire, like when a yuppie family walks into the restaurant in Spanish Harlem, and the yuppie mother says to the kid: "you see, foreigners like to wear colorful things on their heads because they worship different gods."

Funny stuff, I'm tellin ya. And we haven't even gotten to the part where Danny Aiello makes his appearance as Joe the ruthless mafia boss who inexplicably breaks into song every 15 minutes. Each & every character is so memorably wacky you gotta love em, from the gorgeous Nydia (Thalía) to her spastic father (Paul Rodriguez), and even the painfully repulsive mobster (perfectly played by Robert Costanzo) who becomes the center of a crazy, morbid scheme to attract business to the failing restaurant. If you go into this movie with the intent to laugh & have a good time, I think you definitely will.

The theme of this movie could be interesting because I don't think there are a lot of light comedies using the scenario of the latin people living in New York. The story could be potentially funny, but in this case they try it too hard and simply don't make it happen. The acting doesn't help either, Thalia is just awful trying to portray a puertorrican from the Bronx, when she barely knows how to speak English(the accent and slang are so fake). I think it could have MAYBE worked better if they had cast someone like J. Lopez or any other latin actress.

Puerto Rican family with nice restaurant in Spanish Harlem can't attract enough customers to keep creditors at bay. Another restaurant with a recent mob hit has lines waiting for tables. Word on the street is that Fat Tony, local mob guy, is about to go down. You fill in the blanks. The real chemistry is in the young leads, who are excellent, along with Danny Aiello as a really wacky mob guy. Sometimes similar to Big Fat Greek Wedding - watching an average day with this cast would be fun, the plot doesn't really matter. Give it a look.