By Mark Saldana
Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars)
This delightful farcical comedy does have it issues, but is highly enjoyable nevertheless. I must admit that the lovable characters and their often hilarious antics had me constantly smiling and laughing. Jorge (Carlos Marchand) desperately needs to come up with money for his wife Lisa’s (Marise Alvarez) heart surgery. After a bank turns him down for a loan, Jorge decides to take matters in his own hands and rob a bank to save Lisa’s life. Little does he know that Lisa plans to intervene and a bank teller in a different desperate situation has plans of her own.
Writer/director Coraly Santaliz has made a truly adorable and sweet comedy that should be a crowd pleaser. The movie does suffer from some elements which are not too believable and certainly stretch the bounds of realism. Nevertheless, the comic timing of the cast and the comedic writing by Santaliz make everything else work well enough. La Espera Desespera is one endearing comedy so full of heart that its flaws can be forgiven. It is a film that audiences can enjoy watching multiple times.