Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solid, entertaining, funny movie, September 25, 2004
This was a surprisingly entertaining, funny, and charming film. My expectations for it were low, as I expected stereotypical bad acting (sadly, something that we see too often in gay films), bad writing, bad direction, and bad photography. None of that was evident here.
When Connie and Carla arrived in L.A. after fleeing a Chicago mobster who they saw kill someone, I found their drag queen bit hard to bite. When they first auditioned, they didn't look like drag queens at all. I do understand that this plays into the reality of the situation. Two (clueless) women from Chicago who want to revive the (thankfully) mostly dead concept of dinner theater, wouldn't look like drag queens when they first auditioned to become part of - well, to become THE drag show because they wouldn't have the experience yet telling them how to present themselves as women posing as men posing as women. The problem, though, is that if they look like women while they're auditioning, *every drag queen in the bar* is going to see right through them. This is where we're asked to suspend disbelief, and it's such a small request, it's easily done. Eventually, as they learn their trade, they learn to convincingly.
This isn't a deep film where difficult questions are asked and answered of the characters. Connie and Carla have a very minor disagreement, and the only tension that exists throughout the course of the film is through David Duchovny's character.
But it's not supposed to be a deep film. It's supposed to be entertaining, and it succeeds very well on this point. The acting was solid, as was the writing, direction, set, and photography. The gowns were gorgeous (of course they would be, if you watch the Bonus Features you'll see why - gay men designed them), and a few of the catchphrases: "Chickapow", "Your voice is giving me shingles!", and "Your voice is giving me mono!" were hysterical and well delivered.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
improbable, but sweet & wacky tale, August 28, 2004
Nia Vardalos and Toni Collette play Connie & Carla, two jewel-voiced, yet not so sophisticated singers that try to eke out a living as lounge singers, supporting their lazy do-nothing boyfriends.
They witness a murder (at an airport - please! you can't even carry nail clippers to an airport, but people get shot and they are supposedly the only witnesses!) outside the dank airport lounge they work at and are discovered. Their lives are in serious jeopardy as they inadvertently also have a bag of cocaine on them work several tens of thousands of dollars. The drug lord behind the murder of the lounge manager wants his coke back and the girls dead.
The girls know their boyfriends have bigger mouths than brains, so they take off to hide out for a while until the heat cools off. Their only real skill is singing (and they are quite good at it), but as they find themselves in California, where talent is oozing out of everyone, their particular brand of singing isn't too popular - not to mention that those that are after them are looking for 2 ditzy lounge singers.
This is a lot like "Thelma & Louise," "Sister Act" & "Victor Victoria" in a blender. They find a way to make a living and stay hidden - by posing as men who dress as women and sing. They make quick friends with their costars and they quickly become the headliners - as their lack of testosterone allows them to hit the high notes that their competitors only dream of.
The scenarios are crazy and would never happen, but there are a handful of drop dead funny moments, and the friendship between Connie & Carla that makes the film work - for what it's worth. It was fun to see once, but even a few minutes after it was over, I was already thinking how stupid the whole movie was. Cute, but not watchable more than once.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
cute gender-bending comedy, January 29, 2005
CONNIE AND CARLA is a cute little comedy starring Nia Vardalos and Toni Collette, two appealing and capable leading ladies and featuring a script that plays like a goofy combo of SOME LIKE IT HOT and VICTOR/VICTORIA.
After witnessing a horrible crime, Connie and Carla (Nia Vardalos and Toni Collette) decide to go on the run. Arriving in Los Angeles, the girls quickly decide to re-invent their old dinner theatre musical act, and pose as drag queens in a struggling cabaret bar.
This movie is actually quite delightful. Vardalos and Collette make an irresistible comedy team, and the girls actually sung all their numbers themselves (Collette starred on Broadway in THE WILD PARTY). Debbie Reynolds turns in a hilarious cameo (belting out "There Are Worse Things I Could Do", Rizzo's big number from GREASE), and the supporting cast, led by David Duchovny, Stephen Spinella and Dash Mihok is sensational.
For musical theatre fans, CONNIE AND CARLA is highly-recommended.
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