Connie and Carla
Originally written for The Milpitas Post
Directed by: Michael Lembeck
Starring: Nia Vardalos, Toni Collette, David Duchovny, Stephen Spinella
Rated: PG-13 for thematic elements, sexual humor and drug references.
Parental Notes: Parents who aren’t worried about the subject matter (drag queens and mobsters) will find nothing to object to in this sweet, fluffy comedy.
Nia Vardalos has found herself a nice little niche. In 2002 she wrote and starred in “My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding,” which was a feel-good comedy hit. She’s back this year starring in “Connie and Carla,” which she also penned, and it’s another feel-good comedy. It’s rather fluffy, but the characters come across as believable and human even in thoroughly improbable situations.
The basic plot is a familiar one: two entertainers, Connie (Nia Vardalos) and Carla (Toni Collette) witness a mob hit and go into hiding to keep from being taken out themselves. The duo head for LA, figuring that since it has “no culture” the mobsters won’t look for them there. After trying a series of unpleasant jobs, they find themselves auditioning for a drag queen revue� and getting the gig. Things go swimmingly – they make the bar where they perform a huge hit – but then Connie falls for Jeff (David Duchovny), a sweet straight guy who’s the brother of Roger, the bartender. Not only does Connie have to deal with the fact that Jeff thinks she’s a man, but she has to deal with Jeff’s uptightness around transvestites in general.
What makes “Connie and Carla” stand out is its characters. They’re painted in broad strokes, like caricatures, but as with a good caricature artist Vardalos makes those broad strokes into people who come across as real. These people may be simplistically portrayed, but their emotions still reach us; we care when they are hurt and want our heroines to succeed.
The actors are clearly having a good time, particularly the main three. Vardalos, Collette, and Duchovny deliver sparkling performances. Duchovny in particular is at his finest after appearing in several films where his acting was less than stellar. It’s a pleasure to see him relaxed and at ease in the role.
It’s also a pleasure to see a comedy out of Hollywood not rely on humiliating its characters for a laugh. Recent offerings, particularly the work of Ben Stiller, have revolved around that sort of mean-spirited humor. Vardalos has a light touch and treats her characters with fondness, like a friend telling stories about their crazy family back home. She may not always show them at their best but you always get the feeling that they’re good folks at heart (the mobsters excepted, of course).
The comedy in “Connie and Carla” comes from the outrageousness of Connie’s schemes, the problems the girls have keeping their true gender hidden, and the ridiculousness of the whole situation. This isn’t a film that makes you feel guilty for laughing because it doesn’t treat emotional or physical suffering as something to be laughed at.
Is “Connie and Carla” light hearted? Yes. Lightweight? Possibly. But it’s also a lot of fun and well worth seeing, particularly if you liked Vardalos’ other work. Some may criticize it from drawing too heavily from “Some Like it Hot,” but “Connie and Carla” is not a remake or even necessarily a re-imagining of that classic.