User Reviews

Stars Chef Maxi (Javier Cámara) , a culinary genius/drama queen with too much on his plate. He is a well-known chef of recognized prestige, owner of a fashionable restaurant in Chueca (the gay district of Madrid) and whose most important goal being to get the restaurant rated by the Michelin guide. He lives his homosexuality without complexes with his employees as his closest confidants -including Alex (Lola Dueñas) and Ramiro (Fernando Tejero). Immediately afterwards, two situations occur that make poor Maxi feel like he's in trouble. On the one hand, the mother of her children (with whom they had broken up some time ago and who now suffered from a terminal illness), dies, leaving Alba (Alejandra Lorenzo), a girl, and Edu (Junio Valverde), a teenager. For Maxi, none of this was in his plans and it terrifies him, because he doesn't know what to do. The appearance of his two children, the result of a showcase marriage , and his new neighbor, an attractive former Argentine soccer player, will dynamite his life and make him rethink his scale of values. Just when you think you can't laugh anymore, it takes things one step further.

This is a non-stop comedy with twists and turns, involving Maxi, the children, the employees in the restaurant, the handsome neighbor, and Maxi's parents; all of them will completely turn his life upside down . 'Fuera de carta' is a comedy that takes advantage of the mysteries of the search for love of any kind, but above all and more than anything, using the always controversial issue of discrimination and gay love, but here with full of clichés. Nacho Velilla, until then director and screenwriter of successful series "Aida and Siete Vidas", made the leap to the big screen. With this film starring Javier Camara, whom he met when they were both ravajabam in ¨7 Vidas¨. The jokes, although somewhat strong, never fall into the ordinary. What the film clearly implies is that any homosexual person willing to enjoy it should be, with the film, able to laugh at themselves. It is a proposal in which humor has been combined with the transmission of values, knowing very well, Nacho G. Velilla, when it was time to joke, and when, time to impart a good message of acceptance, in a society that is exclusive. Likewise, room is also given to the topic of the single-parent family, which is neither encouraged nor punished. We are simply described the meaning of having to live in such circumstances. In this case, where we have, on the one hand, a man who, for the first time, must play that role and without yet being sure he wants it. And on the other, with two boys, who, given the recent death of their mother, must get used to living with someone with whom until then they had had no connection.

The picture attempts to spread optimism about the events of life , friendship , fidelity , optimism , and love , including its amusing sides as well as sad ones. The roles in this film are all lovable despite being rather pathetic and silly . The picture benefits a likable main and support cast. There's an important cast taking part in this uneven but sympathetic film, such as: Javier Cámara as a prestigious chef whose his most important goal being to get the restaurant rated by the Michelin guide; Benjamín Vicuña as his neighbor, an attractive famous Argentinian ex-soccer player who moves in; Lola Dueñas as the hysterical employee who eagerly wants to get a boyfriend at any price, Fernando Tejero as Ramiro, the dessert manager, who mistakes a tire representative for a food critic, Alexandra Jiménez as the pregnant cook. Furtheemore other vetran actors as Chus Lampreave, Luis Varela, Cristina Marcos, Mariano Peña, Fernando Albizu, among others .

The cinematography by David Omedes is luxurious as well as colorful, being filmed in Madrid . Atmospheric and lively musical score by Juanjo Javierre , adding some catching songs . "Fuera de carta (Chef's Special) " being skillfully directed by Nacho G Velilla , and it turned out to a big success at 2008 Spanish box office . This director was born in Zaragoza , Aragon , location where he often shoots his flicks . He is a good director , producer and writer, expert on comedies and especially known for ¨Villaviciosa De Al Lado¨ , ¨No Manches Frida¨ , ¨No Lo Llames Amor... Llámalo X¨ , ¨Perdiendo El Norte¨ , as well as his successful TV series , such as ¨Aida¨ with Carmen Machi , ¨Siete Vidas¨ , ¨Fenómenos¨ , ¨Buscando El Norte¨. Rating : Average but passable , 5.5/10 . The picture will appeal to Spanish comedy enthusiasts, though it also packs confusion, mayhem, bad taste , profanity and big fun .

First, I should say that the movie definitely had some funny, enjoyable scenes. However, the movie was laden with way too many derogatory gay jokes. I was uncomfortable hearing so many bigoted, insulting, ignorant jokes. Many in the audience I was in laughed, but I squirmed at every "joke." Even in the movie's context of perhaps mocking homophobes, it was not necessary to have some many. Could you imagine a movie about African-Americans full of white characters spouting out a constant barrage of jokes about fried chicken and bananas and athletic prowess? And was it necessary for the main character to be such an effeminate stereotype? As for the plot, the director's soap opera experience was obvious; the plot had several wrenching shifts from light humor to attempts at deep seriousness. If you want to see good Spanish humor without the stereotyping and gay-bashing "jokes," I'd suggest Almodovar's many excellent comedies.

I saw this film afraid of what I was going to see was going to be something like Chuecatown (a self indulgent comedy about gays just for a group of gays). But I found something much better suitable for broader audiences.

There are gay characters but the story show them as people with their good and their bad things. They are not idealistic perfect, nor the weeping victims of society, not evil, they're just persons. And that's a good staring point for the "normalization" of gay people also in movies.

Of course there are some stereotyped behaviors, either from gay or heterosexual characters, but fits very well in the play, and are not very far away from some real truths.

Most of gags work very well, the story is credible and having in mind that is a comedy for all family is a good entertainment. Maybe in some countries that prefer kids to watch violence than love scenes it can be somewhat slightly sexy, but here it is perfectly suitable for all family, as I think it should be.

A very good "Opera-Prima" for a director/writer of sitcoms in Spain TV channels.

I hesitated between "4" and "7" as the movie isn't really bad but also not very excellent either.

In regards to the homophobic conservatism that exists actually, it's good to have a light movie that involves gays.

On the other hand, the movie is really heavy as the funny lines are crude, full of clichés. In fact, the movie depicts a bit gays like a special gender and maybe like fragile people who were expected to hide. I don't think it's fair. Beyond this, i don't really care about gays: they can do whatever they like but i never understood the need to have gay movies shelves in shops. What interests me is a good story and a good story involves every one.

Another problem is that the movie runs after too much themes: it can be a movie about restaurant, but also a romance or about single parenthood.

If the cast and production is top, finally, i felt like watching a sitcom and that's not the definition of a movie!

Besides that, shoddy writing and extremely predictable. A very awkward watch.

The most unfortunate thing about "Chef's Special" is that it is Spanish, and will forever be compared to the work of Pedro Almodovar but Nacho G. Velilla has created a very funny screwball comedy that stands on its own. Maxi (Javier Camara) is the head chef in a small restaurant. He has a number of people working for him, including the crazed Ramiro (Fernando Tejero), and unlucky-in-love maitre d' Alejandra (Lola Duenas), better known as Alex. Maxi's life is nothing but chaos as he tries to hold his crew together. The eatery is bleeding money, and his coworkers all let their flawed personal lives affect their work. A former soccer star, Horacio (Benjamin Vicuna), is moving in across the hall from Maxi, and Alex already has her claws out for him. Amidst the chaos, Maxi gets a call from the hospital. His ex-wife is dying and someone must take care of their children- fifteen year old Edu (Junio Valverde) and six year old Alba (Alejandra Lorenzo). Maxi has no relationship with the kids, but takes them in when their mother passes. Maxi goes on a date with Alex and Horacio, acting as a chaperone (and leaves Ramiro babysitting the kids, in one of the film's very funny scenes). Unfortunately, Horacio has eyes for Maxi- he is deep in the closet, being a former professional athlete and now a television sports commentator. Slowly, Maxi's life keeps unraveling: there are rumors of the Michelin Guide's representative looking to judge Maxi's restaurant; Edu is expelled for gay-bashing at his school; Alex can't seem to let go of Horacio, not knowing he is homosexual; and Maxi must reevaluate his life and priorities concerning new loves and his children.

Velilla's pace is non-stop, and "Chef's Special" is a consistent laugh. While some of the humor is too crude, and a few scenes fall flat- I think due to language barriers more than anything, the cast is so likable and so watchable, I cared about them all from the minute the film started. While the final fifteen minutes is predictable, the film still had me, and I shiver to think what an American remake would do to these characters. Velilla's color palette is very Almodovar-like: colorful and bright. The opening credits and music work really well, and the film just plain looks fantastic. The cast is excellent, everyone seems to be having fun and the screenwriters have given them all plenty to do. I loved Alba questioning all her bedtime stories, Horacio being conflicted by his feelings for Maxi, and especially how Maxi handles Edu's gay-bashing and expulsion. There are some dark moments here, but they are consistently balanced by some broad physical comedy, and somehow work without weighing the film down or depressing the viewer. Despite the main character being a chef, the film makers wisely do NOT make this movie all about the food as a metaphor. Likewise with the sports angle. Velilla doesn't hit us over the head with any statements along the lines of "see, life is just like a soccer match!" "Chef's Special" is a fun, raunchy comedy that reminded me of "La Cage Aux Folles." While I usually hate to wish for a sequel, I wouldn't have minded sampling a few more servings of these characters.