A mi me Gusta

Wednesday was my second time in the Venezuelan Theater. Not play type theater, but the movie and popcorn type. I've been missing Jeff's posts from Iraq (come back safe and soon bro!) and in honor of his first tour's movie reviews, I figured, what the heck, why not go for one here? So, welcome, and take a seat in, "The Critic's Cranny."

Our film today is "A mi me Gusta". Our film is one from the fledgling Venezuelan movie industry. Sponsored by the president, Venezuela is trying to break out of it's dominating role in the Telanovela world (soap opera) and storm the silver screen. Let's see how one of their first efforts fare.

First the title is a bit of a pun: Translated literally: "To me, it tastes good to me", or if you'll allow a bit of liberty in translation: "I like it". The word "Gustar" is the verb both for tasting and for liking, AKA being to one's taste. If you couldn't guess from the picture already, our film is a romantic comedy involving chefs. That means food, since chefs cook food. Food involves taste since food is eaten. Taste in in the title. It's a pun. Laugh.

The story starts by following Margartia Garcia, a young Venezuelan who has moved to London for an internship under top chef Paul Welsare. Sadly our top chef is too busy with his own work and projects to even meet his interns. But no matter, Margarita is promptly dismissed from the program and sent back to Venezuela since she now lacks work and a subsequent work visa to stay in London. The scene with the prim and proper immigration woman in London makes one frustrated at the plight of the immigrant and the unending, unbeatable obstacles they face. I hope the person reading my visa application watches this movie.

Margarita returns to her work in her hotel kitchen as the head chef and is warmly greeted by all. After reentering the drama of family, work, and life, she learns that by sheer chance, our British top chef is coming to participate in a fusion food project in their very own kitchen.

Here is where our our story really starts. It starts with the standard cross cultural conflict, the argument that leads to the two spending time together, and in the process of understanding one another (actually Paul understanding Maragarita and Venezuela) they fall in love. But shock, their initial emotions don't win over their own individual ambitions and dreams which are by now seriously clashing. There is a falling out, a rejected attempt at restoration, then an even greater realization of wrong on the second party's part (this time, Margarita's), and a mad dash to the airport to declare to Paul her undying love over the PA system before he leaves for London. He of course comes back, and everybody's happy.

Aside from the trite plot, there are both artefacts and treasures to mine here. In the "outside of reality category", it appears that Paul is won over by Venezuelan cuisine. Sadly, Venezuelan cuisine is really nothing to talk about. In Peru, I once met a man from the Czech Republic who was in Lima for the sole purpose of eating. You don't meet people like that in Venezuela. But no matter, perhaps the food in Britain is just as banal. However, I will give Venezuela the benefit of the doubt on some of their fruit which to us in the Northern Hemisphere seems a bit exotic. Yet on the other hand, after talking to world travelers, it seems that this too is nothing special. Beyond the quality of the cuisine, it was interesting to note the quality of the produce that the movie showed off. I had never seen any vegetables or fruits so decent looking for sale anywhere here. Much of the food in Venezuela is imported and therefore the quality is seriously lacking. And yet, even though this is a movie, I really want to know where they went shopping!

Aside from food, the film demonstrated a strong, almost religious, belief found among almost all Venezuelans: the beach. I'm really white, so I'm frequently told to get my white self to the beach for a while and I'll come back nearly black. The problem is, I don't have a drop of African blood in me. I just come back the color of seven of the stripes in our flag. Yet, for the Venezuelan, the beach is something magical. The beach is where our culinary couple fall in love and where the Englishman falls in love with Venezuela. Because, of course, ANYBODY who comes to Venezuela will always fall in love with it. So says our romantic comedy. And while our romantic comedy doesn't show any shots of barrios, crime, pollution, poor quality produce, or prim and proper Venezuelan immigration officers, it certainly shows a nice beach. What else do you need?

I certainly did appreciate the value of team placed in the movie. While the desparate Maragarita has to break past the airport security to find Paul before he heads back to London, her and her crack team of chefs put their heads together. After formulating a plan, she ends with "Team always wins". I would never see this in an american movie that did not have a title akin to "Remember the Mightibles". Venezuela is certainly still on the side of the world that values family, unity, and togetherity. And while talking about morals, there was even a strong anti-abortion message placed in the film. (oh yeah, the government here is super against abortion, in fact, it's illegal. And yet the right will still rag on Chavez.) There was no swearing either in our film which is, for this country, something to be said. Overall, I think this movie is something akin to the black and white films that came out with Katharine Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart that focused on the rich class and didn't show much at all of what America was really like in the day yet still held to some sort of moral standard.

In technicalities, the editing left a little to be desired, and the acting falls straight out of a telanovela. But still, for a new film making industry, it's a little whiz bang of a flick. I give it 7/10. I doubt you can find it in the states, but if you can, give it a shot. Until then, I'll be in the Cranny.