Everybody Loves Somebody

Coming from a guy who went to see this film out of pure curiosity and the simple fact that there was nothing worthwhile to watch at my movie theater, I am happy that I made the decision to check out this cute, light-hearted romantic comedy. Overall, I enjoyed all of the performances and if it had not been for my familiarity with Karla Souza from How To Get Away With Murder and Alejandro Camacho who appears in various novelas, I probably would've ignored this film. Glad that wasn't the case.

Well one way or the other. One thing is for sure, this starts off pretty promising, with a very bleak outlook and a main character who seems to be completely opposed to love. So therefor there is some sort of redemption that we can be sure is coming later on. And the dialog strikes as nicely put together also (some nice punches thrown here and there, for comedy relief and making fun of reluctance for example).

But there are also downsides ... like being completely sugar coated and having moments of suspense of disbelief. It's almost a shame, because many things do work and feel so real in this, that when it gets "dreamy" and unrealistic it does get you out of the movie a bit. Not too much though, which is a testament to the actors involved, especially Karla Souza. She has a charisma that cannot be denied.

The movie wasn't bad but the trailer that I viewed that made me interested in the film in the first place was entirely in English where most of the actual conversing was in Spanish with sub-titles which for me completely takes away from being able to become engrossed in the characters or at a minimum detracts from the material and storyline. As for the script it's the very typical and much played single woman having to choose between a former lover who left her with an empty heart vs. the new man on the block who's just a good guy wanting to show her how a real man acts in a relationship. If you go in OK with reading subtitles or know Spanish you might enjoy this one more than I did.

EVERYBODY LOVES SOMEBODY (Mexico) Dir. Catalina Aguilar Mastretta (English and Spanish language)

Successful obstetrician Clara (Karla Souza, The Noble Family) spends her time between Los Angeles and her family in Baja California. She appears to have everything but love. Just when she seems on the verge of letting love back into her life, her ex unexpectedly reappears, setting into motion choices for Clara about love, and about herself. The film is an engaging, funny, and bittersweet bilingual romantic comedy.

I loved the family dynamics in the film. While the writing, or rather the situation it portrays, is very soap-opera-ish, it is nonetheless a well crafted screenplay. The dialogue is fresh, believable and ultimately drives the narrative thrust. It is well executed, in the style of the screwball comedies of Grant & Hepburn, Combard & Powell, etc. A sweet little gem.

Scoring the different elements of the film objectively, 1 to 4:

Script/Story: 3.5, loved the ending; well crafted narrative.

Cinematography/Visual Effects: 3; competently shot, plays well and looks well

Editing: 3; paced well

Sound Effects: 3

Musical Score: 3.5, interesting musical choices, pop et. al.

Performances: 3; believable, very likable characters..

Production Design: Sets, Locations, Costumes, etc.: 2.5; pretty, contemporary, ordinary look.

I would recommend this sweet, light, entertaining romantic comedy. Very likable cast, particularly as I met them at the World Premier at PSIFF17 where they had a "red carpet"-type media reception for the stars and the film makers (director, producers, etc.) and I was a volunteer at the reception and screening. Thumbs up! And a great thumbs up to the Palm Springs International Film Festival!!! #PSIFF17

The storyline was well portrayed. The lines had humor, especially Asher's. Actually, I adore how Asher know what he wants from the start. He is my favourite character on the film. The only negative, but still justified, was that the film has a lot indoor scenes and I missed a few more outdoor ones. PS: Stop complaining about the subtitles. They were accurate, synchronized and they minding their own business. As people with a developed vision you can practice and eventually you'll keep up. Neither English, nor Spanish is my mother tongue but I always watch with respect and love movies from other cultures.