Only Human
(Seres queridos/2004)
Picture: C+ Sound: C+ Extras: D Film: B-
Comedy is
not easy, but when done ambitiously, can have happy accidents that make some
films more interesting than they might be otherwise. That is even when some themes are
repeated. The slightly funny Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner? Was
recently remade as the decent Guess Who,
but the idea has been done plenty of times since and the team of Dominic Harari
and Teresa De Pelegri give it a Jewish twist in Spanish for Only Human (Seres queridos/2004).
Though a
longer 93 minutes long version was issued overseas, this U.S. 85 minutes long
version issued now on DVD from Magnolia is an entertaining, if not always
consistent look at a Jewish family who flips when they find out that their
daughter Leni (Marian Aguilera) is dating Palestinian Rafi (Guillermo Toledo)
in a story at this point in time in particular could turn into Romeo & Juliet. Fortunately, it is more comic and Norma
Aleandro (best known for Gaby) is
likely to be the best recognized actor in the cast playing Leni’s mother
Gloria.
The film
has it moments, but even Harari and De Pelegri are knowing in that their script
and its material are not totally original, but run with it the best they can
and the energy they infuse with what is there is what saves the film from its
flat points. I wondered if the missing
footage would have helped as this is good enough to investigate a longer
version. As it stands, Only Human is a comedy that works and
one worth a look.
The anamorphically
enhanced 1.78 X 1 image has softness issues throughout, but the color, editing
and good camerawork help make it more watchable. Danny Cohen has a knack for keeping the
camera moving without it looking like vein nervousness, which is not easy, but
he does it good. The Dolby Digital 2.0
Stereo has very limited surrounds if that, but the dialogue is recorded well
and music by Charlie Mole is not bad.
There are no extras, but at least this has finally found a U.S. release.
- Nicholas Sheffo
