Casi casi

Part teen comedy, part caper, with a dash of romance and a whole lot of thrills, "Casi Casi" is a refreshingly fun, funny, and exciting romp through High School. The movie follows the adventures of Emilio (Mario Pabon) as he enlists his five pals to help him woo the girl of his dreams, the popular Jacklynne (Maite Canto). Of course, everything goes wrong in the process, and the resulting mayhem is a joy to watch. Kids will get a kick out of this, and parents will be thoroughly entertained as well.

The first half plays like "Clueless" or "The Breakfast Club", as we are introduced to the quirky group of friends and their arch-nemesis School Principal. As the plot unfolds, the tone shifts into more of a caper-comedy, and by the time the second half starts, it's a break-in heist movie in full-out "Mission: Impossible" mode, complete with chase sequences, daring rescues, and many exciting close calls. There's no violence, blood, or guns, but the film somehow creates a level of urgency and excitement not typically found in teen comedies.

The palpable danger is provided in spades by the main villainess of the movie, the deliciously evil Principal Richardson (Marian Pabon). Her penetrating glare alone is chilling enough, and as she progressively loses her temper she is a sight to behold! The acting is great across the board, and is evident in the chemistry between the six kids. They have a very convincing group camaraderie, and behave like real friends. Most of the action takes place in the hallways of the school, which gives the film a tense, claustrophobic feel. The music deserves particular attention, with a great blend of sweeping, epic orchestral score and flavorful Latin salsa tunes. It elevates the emotions and succeeds in transitioning from romance to comedy and adventure without missing a beat.

The DVD includes a very candid and entertaining full length audio commentary by the writers/directors, as well as a fun half-hour "making-of" featurette. It's really amazing to see how a film can be made with such few resources available (it was shot with one video camera and edited on a home computer) and still provide compelling, honest, and exciting family-friendly entertainment. Highly recommended!

Very refreshing. Ms. Irene Lucio as Maria Eugenia and her eye and facial expressions remind me of the great Charlie Chaplin, not too many people have that ability to make you laugh by just looking at their expressions. Emilo's character, dorky looking is the typical nice guy predestined to fail, nice guys always end up last, but he perseveres in his pursuit to catch the attention of the girl he likes and believes to be in love overlooking the fact that love has always been so close to him that he couldn't see it. The movie gives you a good lesson on friendship and teamwork. The movie is very good, different, simple yet comical. The linguistic expressions for those knowing "pouertorrican" Spanish are accurate. Situation presented can be a reflection of real life at a private school in Puerto Rico. What makes this movie so appealing is its simplicity I loved it, can't have enough of it.

This Puerto Rican movie is one of the funniest movies I have seen in a while. While it may seem childish at first glance, it serves a grander purpose, and sends an endearing message and moral to all of its viewers.What is the message? That love is tricky, as Emilio finds out, and even though you may believe that one girl is the girl of your dreams, sometimes true love is right beside you the whole time. Also, this movie shows viewers the importance of staying loyal to close friends. This movie has ever aspect of a captivating film - a hero, a villain, and a wonderful ending that features a moral that the viewers can take in, and apply to their own lives. The evil Principal Richardson certainly adds a sense of unpredictability, especially when the group of friends are in the computer lab, changing results of the voting.

I was forced to watch this movie in my Spanish class. It did not dissapoint. At first you think the movie is going to be an absolute abomination and will be very corny but you will be wrong. Firstly all of the characters are funny and enjoyable. The meaning of the whole story adds even more to the movie. One of the lessons I enjoyed while watching the movie was how Emilio did not care about his friends and put his personal desires above everyone else. He then comes to realize how good his friends are to him and how they helped him to gather the most number of votes and set up his campaign. In the end he learns this mistake when Jacklynne laughs at him after he made her the winner of the election and when she is seen yelling at a cashier. They should have made a Casi Casi 2.

This movie was a fascinating look at modern day life in a Puerto Rican high school. It is funny and witty with great young performers who carry the movie brilliantly from scene to scene. It is a great family movie that all members can enjoy yet the message to young people about love and the loyalty of good friends is well presented without falling into a moralistic trap.

Too bad Puerto Rico doesn't produce more gems such as these. If it did Puerto Rico would be a world leader in film production for markets in the US, Latin America and Europe. Once this sleeping giant awakens look out!!!