“Connie and Carla” (Universal Pictures)
Nia Vardalos follows up her hit, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” with another feel-good film, “Connie and Carla.” Once again she plays the underdog searching for good fortune and happiness, and once again she delivers top-notch entertainment.
In the film Connie (Vardalos) and her long time friend Carla (Toni Collette) are singers struggling to make a name for themselves. Their biggest gig so far has been at the airport lounge where their act is drowned out by planes taking off and landing. One night they witness a gang hit on a friend of theirs. They are seen by the killers and pursued, but they manage to escape.
They land up in Los Angeles and start looking for work. After a few misfires they discover a club which features women doing show tunes. This is right down their alley. Then they notice these are awfully deep-voiced women and they are a little overdone in the makeup department. Yes, it is a “drag club.”
Undaunted Connie and Carla audition as “men performing as women” and pull it off. They get hired. Now all they have to do is keep the fact they are really women a secret. This is not very easily done, but it makes for all the fun of the film.
Vardalos is as likeable in this role as she was in “Wedding.” And Toni Collette is a perfect partner in crime with her. Plus their singing voices blend and make their stage numbers outstanding.
Also good is Stephen Spinella who plays Robert, aka Peaches. Robert is one of the guys at the club who also wants to be a performer. He also has a tragic past in that he is estranged from his family. His brother Jeff (David Duchovny) seeks him out and tries to reconcile. Jeff also finds himself attracted to Connie.
Duchovny is the weak link in the movie. He just walks through his role, never giving it anything extra which would make Jeff a special person for the vibrant Connie. As good as John Corbett was with Nia in “Wedding,” Duchovny is that bad in this film.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and sexual innuendoes.
Nia Vardalos wrote, co-produced and stars in this film. She is a triple threat woman who knows what is best for her and her career. She also knows how to surround herself with talented co-stars (except Duchovny).
“Connie and Carla” features a cameo by Debbie Reynolds as herself. This is one of those cute ideas that could have fallen flat. It doesn’t. It actually provides some of the most fun of the film. Again thanks to Nia Vardalos ability to make her story ring true from start to finish.
For those of you who have been wanting to see more of Vardalos since “Wedding” ended its run, the time is now. “Connie and Carla” is a romantic musical comedy that provides grand entertainment,
I scored “Connie and Carla” a gender-bending 7 out of 10.
