While watching Casa de mi Padre, I couldn't help but think Andy Kaufman was watching the film somewhere and laughing his ass off. After all, there's little motivation for Will Ferrell to star in a Spanish-language melodrama. The film feels like one long in-joke – an idea born in a late night gathering of friends and a haze of smoke and alcohol. And, to be frank, the idea would have been better served as a short film serial on the Internet, something we'd see on Ferrell's own Funny or Die website.
That said, it's a bit of a testament to the strength of Casa de mi Padre that the film is, at the very least, enjoyable, despite a thin layer of jokes, obscure references and a mostly straight-faced narrative that feels borrowed from a Robert Rodriguez 'Mariachi' film. Alas, Casa de mi Padre has almost no replay value, but it does manage to work on its first viewing.
For those unaware, here's a token bit of plot for the film. Armando (Will Ferrell) is a simple rancher who works on his father's estate. His brother, Raul (Diego Luna), returns to town with his bride-to-be (Genesis Rodriguez), and quickly stirs up trouble with a local drug lord (Gael García Bernal). Soon, it's up to Armando to face off against the evil kingpin and reclaim his family's honor.
For the most part, the film is played completely straight. Will Ferrell, who had to learn Spanish for the role, doesn't have much room for his typical improv styling to roam free, leaving most of the gags to the intentionally cheap production design, not to mention some post-dubbed lines and physical humor (some of which is very funny).
On one level, it's nice to see Ferrell in a somewhat serious role. His turn as a recovering alcoholic who's fallen off-the-wagon in Everything Must Go showed off his range, and Casa de mi Padre continues that trend. However, this is a spoof, and one that requires a bit more energy to keep it moving. Without Ferrell at bat, knocking out jokes in every scene, the film simply plays dull, numbing the overall point of the whole experience.
That said, Casa de mi Padre is sure to find a cult audience down the line, especially those with a taste for Spanish telenovelas. The film is certainly well-made, with amusing nods and winks to the low-budget production values of trashy romance melodramas. And, at times, the film sort of feels like a gory, R-rated traipse through a shadow box or animatronic dark ride in the Mexico section of Epcot at Disney World.
There's a certain charm to the picture that might appeal to those who indulge in Wes Anderson's films, namely The Life Aquatic or Moonrise Kingdom. While not as taut or focused as those pictures, it's possible that fans of those films will find Casa de mi Padre and love what it has to offer. But, if nothing else, Casa de mi Padre can take solace knowing that it will heartily tickle the funny-bone of Andy Kaufman, the king of the obscure in-joke. Whether anyone else will enjoy the film is a little more in-question.
Casa de mi Padre comes to Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Home Entertainment. The film is presented in 2.35:1 widescreen, encoded in 1080p/AVC. Shot on 35MM film, this production has a sense of style and class to it right out of the gate. Grain levels are intact, with few distortions, DNR or compression hiccups getting in the way. Contrast does run a little hot at times, but it's nothing too annoying. The image does exhibit a sometimes distracting flicker, added to give the film a bit of a grindhouse appearance. While it does add some flavor to the presentation, it also had me pausing frequently to make sure it wasn't my equipment malfunctioning.
The film is presented in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, mixed in Spanish only. It's a solid track, with aggressive mixing, clean dialogue and moody bass. But why, oh why, Lionsgate didn't provide an alternate English dub is beyond me! How hilarious would it have been to have someone like William Shatner dubbing the entire film? Or bring in some classically trained Shakespearean actors. Or have American actors dub the Spanish actors and a Spanish actor dub Ferrell. The potential for hilarity, and repeat viewing, was limitless. What a missed opportunity!
Extras include a commentary with Will Ferrell, director Matt Piedmont and writer/producer Andrew Steele. There's also a making-of featurette, deleted scenes, faux commercials, a music video and an interview with Pedro Armendariz Jr., who died shortly after filming. The commentary is a hoot, as expected, and most of the material here is rather amusing, if a little fluffy.
Casa de mi Padre has its moments. It's not a masterpiece, by any stretch, but it's a film sure to carve out its place in cult cinema history. If you check it out, be sure to watch the film on Blu-ray. It looks and sounds terrific, and the extras are enjoyable.
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