Movie Review

Connie and Carla

With her new film, ?Connie and Carla,? Nia Vardalos has created a mixed bag that at times entertains and at others fails to work. Vardalos stars as Connie, a theater dinner singer who along with her friend Carla (Tia Collette) perform shows while dreaming of making it big. One night they witness a crime and are soon on the run from criminals intent on silencing them. The duo arrive in Los Angeles and unable to find steady work, end up posing as drag queens in a gay nightclub. The two become an overnight success and soon are packing the room and becoming the rage of the gay community.

While things are going well, difficulties arise when the brother of one of the club performers arrives and Connie is attracted to him. Jeff (David Duchovny) has come to re-establish relations with his brother after being shunned from the family for his lifestyle. Jeff is very uncomfortable with his brother?s lifestyle but is determined to get past this and have him back in his life.

What follows is a typical comedy of errors, as Connie attempts to win over Jeff without revealing her true identity. While funny at parts, the film suffers from a one-joke premise that runs into the ground; there are only so many stage performances one can watch in a film before they become stale. Vardalos and Collette have good chemistry, but Duchovny looks as if he would rather be elsewhere, as the part does not allow him to do anything other than convey his trademark deadpan stare.

Vardalos is a talented performer but her script is lacking both the charm and the magic that made ?Greek Wedding? a success. Vardalos is veteran of Second City and standup, which is in some ways why ?Connie and Carla? comes across as more of a short sketch rather than a feature length film; better luck next time, as this one is a real drag.

Gareth's Grade: C

A	6.0%
B	44.0%
C	40.0%
D	10.0%
F	0.0%