By Mark Saldana
Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars)
This Chilean entry by writer/director Cristian Jimenez and co-writer Daniel Castro proved to be highly amusing and entertaining. Jimenez and Castro have put a funny spin on familial dysfunctionality and the drive people have to maintain familial ties despite the problems. Recently divorced, Sofia (Ingrid Insensee) is undergoing an early mid-life crisis. She is an out-of-work actress hoping to find work as a voice actress and she has been having an affair with a married man. She decides that she needs some peace, quiet and time to get her life back together. However, moving in with her mother (Paulina Garcia) after her parents’ recent separation doesn’t exactly make for a drama-free existence. With her younger sister (Maria Jose Siebald) and brother-in-law visiting, the drama is just getting started.
While the movie covers familiar territory that other comedies about dysfunctional families do, Jimenez and Castro offer humor that is often hilarious and the cast delivers comic gold when it comes to their performances. The filmmakers and their cast develop their characters richly and realistically. It is easy for audiences to relate to the silliness and drama that comes from family disagreements and misunderstandings. This film and O Ultimo Cine Drive-In would make for an excellent double feature. Both films cover similar themes, have much heart, and will leave their audiences smiling and laughing.