Casa de mi Padre (2012) User Reviews

Not bad but nothing you should be running out for to see either.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 6/10 · 26 March 2012]

This sounded like a weird and yet also very interesting project. A Will Ferrell comedy that was different from most of his other work, completely in Spanish and set in Mexico. But let me just say that the idea and concept of this movie sounded better and more interesting than the eventual movie was to watch.

Comedy-wise the movie isn't all that clever or funny to watch. It's mostly recycling the same stuff, over and over again, throughout the entire movie. It's a bit disappointing that this movie wasn't being a big more creative with its comedy at times.

But I have a feeling that this movie is being very referential to Mexican cinema and I have seen basically very little of those movies, so most of the stuff is going over my head. If you're into Mexican cinema, I'm sure this movie would be a far more hilarious one for you to watch. It will probably also help you to understand certain storytelling aspects and techniques behind the movie better than I did.

But still, the movie could had been a real better one for everybody to watch, if it had a more tight script in it. The story in this movie really isn't strong enough and it doesn't get you involved with any of its characters or their story lines.

I still really respect this movie for being different. It still works in some ways and it obviously is also a refreshing one. I was also definitely impressed with Will Ferrell in a Spanish talking role. He did a real great job with it and further more was also holding back a bit more with his usual comical routines, that are starting to annoy more and more people now days.

But the movie has some more great acting and actors in it, mostly REAL Mexican ones. I wish I could see Diego Luna in more big movies, since I have always liked this guy and his acting. He also probably was the best thing about this movie. Also Gael García Bernal plays a really good role in this movie. It actually also made me wonder if I would had perhaps liked this movie better if it got done more as a straight-forward action-drama. It would had suited the actors and its story perhaps a tad bit better all and I do believe it would had made the movie a more compelling one to watch.

An interesting experiment that is not a failure but nothing too impressive or innovative either.

6/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

A Smart, Quirky Spanish Comedy

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 19 April 2013]

Scheming on a way to save their father's ranch, the Alvarez brothers find themselves in a war with Mexico's most feared drug lord.

First of all, proper credit must be given to Will Ferrell. Love him, hate him or somewhere in between, he gave this role his all. Despite knowing it would not be his biggest hit, he plunged in and actually learned to speak Spanish for the part (or at least enough to fake it).

There is plenty of good humor here, from the white mountain lion to the DEA agent played by Nick Offerman (who is awesome just by being on screen), and we must not forget the butt-centric romance scene. Not sure what was up with that, but well played.

And not only is this a good comedy, it is a good story, too. Maybe it is stereotypical to have a story about Mexican drug dealers and American drug agents... maybe that gives the wrong impression of Mexico. But it makes for an interesting conflict.

An interesting experiment in comedy

[cricketbat · 6/10 · 7 July 2018]

Casa de Mi Padre is, how do you say, more entertaining than I thought it was going to be. This telenovela parody pokes fun at number of different stereotypes, and manages to play it straight while still mocking the genre. It's an interesting experiment in comedy.

Watching This Is Like Eating A Dodgy Enchilada

[AyeLewisTheReverified · 2/10 · 26 June 2012]

It looks good when you gaze upon the promo and the menu picture.

It initially tastes good when you take the first bite.

Then, halfway through, you realise something is just not right.

Towards the end, you can barely finish it.

And you feel sick and nauseous afterwards *gack* Not recommended.

I can see what Ferrel and the film makers were trying to achieve but they failed at Omega levels in reaching this goal. The film was an absolute mess and about as entertaining as an ingrown toenail. Not even worth renting.

Unfunny. Confused. Boring. Weak

2/10

Wow....and I thought I'd seen everything!!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 20 July 2012]

"Casa de mi Padre" is a bizarre experiment--the sort of picture that shows that Will Ferrell has made a LOT of money over the years and now he just wants to branch out and have some fun. After all, why else would he agree to star in a Spanish-language comedy?! And, for the most part, the films is played VERY seriously while insanely stupid things happen all around him. It's very surreal and very odd--and the sort of experiment many will find baffling and unfunny. I liked it...but I certainly wouldn't like a steady diet of such films. My attitude is that this is one worth seeing...once.

This film is a cheesy yet stylish send-up of Mexican films. Compared to most Americans, I've seen a ton--but my experience with Mexican films is limited--with mostly el Santo and the Aztec Mummy films of the 50s, 60s and 70s. At times, it looks a bit like a combination of a Sam Peckinpah film, a VERY stylish commercial for cologne and a cheesy mess--complete with VERY unrealistic backgrounds, horses and the Jaguar King--all things you really have to see for yourself! It also is the only film I know of where there is an apology in the middle of the movie--by the second assistant director! Overall, it's VERY dry, very bizarre and a bit funny. But, as I said before, it's certainly NOT the sort of joke most will enjoy--it takes a special person to appreciate this ultra-strange film.

By the way, be sure to watch the making of featurette on the DVD--it makes the movie a lot more interesting to watch.

I do not have the words to properly describe how horrible this movie is, but I am going to try.

[insertfunnyhere · 1/10 · 19 March 2012]

I am going to be honest, I did not make it through this movie. It was that bad. I am one to enjoy stupid comedies, seen the Naked Gun 100+ times, and enjoyed most other Will Ferrel movies, but this..... my god. Out of the thousand or so people who worked on this movie how did no one speak up, admit defeat, and stop the spending that went into making this.

Out of the 45 minutes I endured there was nothing funny, interesting, or clever that happened. Save yourselves time, money and brain cells. Go see anything else.

Hell, go rent Theodore Rex, at least it has a talking dinosaur.

A Fun Parody of Telenovelas for Those Willing to Give it a Chance

[brando647 · 7/10 · 23 October 2012]

I have nothing but respect when actors or filmmakers take risks, and this was a risk on Will Ferrell's part. Ferrell is already a hit-or-miss comic actor, with a few great movies under his belt and just as many forgettable. For every ANCHORMAN there's a LAND OF THE LOST. I'm not the biggest fan of his movies but when's he good, he's good. I was happy to see Ferrell had the nerve to release a small movie, low budget with deliberately poor production value, and completely in Spanish. In a time when so many American moviegoers refuse to sit through a movie they'll need to "read", you've got to love what you do to go against the grain with a film like CASA DE MI PADRE. Good for Ferrell and his film buddies for doing the movie, and the best part is…I actually enjoyed it. Well, not at first. The movie is done in the style of Mexican/Spanish telenovelas. It's a feature length soap opera/Spanish western, and I know that alone will turn some people off. It is the tale of Armando Alvarez (Ferrell), a simple ranchero working on his father's land when his beloved brother Raul makes a triumphant return to their homestead with exciting news. Raul (Diego Luna) is to be married to the beautiful Sonia (Genesis Rodriguez) and he has plans to revive his father's dying ranch. But with the dangerous drug lord La Onza (Gael Garcia Bernal) moving in on their land, Armando discovers that his brother might not be as noble as he believed.

This movie needed an extra viewing to really grow on me. I wasn't impressed the first time, believing it to be a one note joke dragged out to feature length (Will Ferrell speaking Spanish…poorly. I can hardly contain my laughter.) But, really, there is a lot of hilarious stuff here. It's just subtler than I was expecting. The best bits are a lot of the little things. Sure, there're some blatantly funny parts, especially with the deliberate poor production value. Painted backdrops, obvious sets, obvious props, rear projection, etc. But then there are the little things. Raul never without a cigarette and drink in his hands, even in the midst of a violent gun battle. Armando can't roll a cigarette to save his life (although the commentary with Ferrell reveals that he can, in fact, roll a cigarette…just not when he's trying to remember his lines in another language). The melodrama, the cheesy line delivery…it's great. The opening of the movie sets the tone perfectly: Ferrell in a field with his fellow rancheros and a herd of cattle. Ferrell stoically dismounts from his horse and approaches a small brown calf…the scene cuts to a new angle as he bends down to pick it up and he rises with a blatantly fake black calf as he stares dramatically into the sun. Boom…cut to the trippy, James Bond-ish opening titles with none other than Christina Aguilera singing. It didn't win me over at first, but I love it now.

I have to give Ferrell credit: there are times when he almost sounds fluent in his Spanish. I love his musical numbers. He's a perfect balance of serious and absurd, though I hate to say we're treated to an abundance of Ferrell butt shots. I could've done without that. The rest of the cast is even better. Diego Luna is solid gold as Raul with swagger and confidence, and Genesis Rodriguez (an actress with an actual history in Spanish soap operas) is both amazingly beautiful and the only one giving her role an honest try. She gives the movie it's biggest dose of dramatic performing, taking her role 100% serious amongst all of the bizarre. And then there's Gael Garcia Bernal….this dude is hilarious. Easily the funniest part of the movie in my opinion. Again, he's not outright goofball in his performance as the movie's villain, La Onza. It's the little quirks here and there that he tosses in. He had me laughing harder than anything else at times. All the more reason it's a shame that a lot of people will probably skip this movie because of it's strange premise and it's use of Spanish with English subtitles. You don't have to be familiar with telenovelas to enjoy it; I certainly wasn't. A passing familiarity with them and an open mind is enough to enjoy CASA DE MI PADRE, one of Ferrell's better films.

Ultimately disappointing - watchable but could have been so much more fun to watch!

[leomoviecritic · 5/10 · 19 March 2012]

This movie is at its best when it is "tongue in cheek" and using "earnest" performances in a gentle slap to westerns, drug cartel flicks, and romantic drama. It is at its best as a western, over-the-top soap opera.

Unfortunately these inspired gems (and they are good) come too few and far between otherwise just ordinary scenes. It would have been really fun to have the writers keep up that skewering of the genres and would have been a delight to watch.

Typically the best moments in the film were with Will Ferrell who gave an inspired turn as out as our hero. An amazing cast in what is a wildly uneven film in good performances which each of these actors could have given stellar performances with more inspired scenes. A shame. It felt the writers were a bit lazy to not keep it revved up.

In conclusion: While watchable, I would not recommend spending the money on the film at the theaters, I would recommend waiting to rent or download. Not a buy for me, nor a second viewing.

We laughed a Lot-We were Not Always Sure Exactly Why

[petercarey1 · 7/10 · 10 August 2012]

OK. This is not a movie one watches for the plot. No siree, Juan. There were tons of sight-gags, many of which I missed. Female lead=smoking. Will Ferrel and his lovable loser pals sing a great song in the middle of this flick, a song so full of fun and life that we snagged it off YouTube and made a CD of it for ourselves. Brother Raul looks as much like a drug dealer an anyone could, including Donald Fagen in concert. (The guy from Steely Dan, for the young-folk.) Armando's "discovery" that his bro is a dealer is akin to realizing that in a movie with prim and proper aristocratic English schoolchildren, the children will indeed be evil. (Think 'Village of the Damned)"You are a narco!" Well, the Pope wears a white outfit as well. Very funny. The big star of this movie is The Onza or the Jag King, an absurdly stuffed white cat you wouldn't give as a toy to that screaming neighbor kid down the hall for Quanza. Pretty stiff and bulky. "And now it's time for your vision." Hilarious! And why is the moon full on every night of every movie ever made in history? This flick is no exception. Some here have said that the jokes were stretched out too long. That's the point! Drive those stereotypic references to every Mexican potboiler movie ever made into the sod, and then drive them into the the dusty soil again! I loved that. This movie is not for everyone. If you like Will Ferrel, awkwardness/randomness in general and a drop dead gorgeous female for once loving brothers to fight over, check this one out. It was very funny, but excepting for the obvious charm of the stuffed White Jaguar, I'm not really sure why we laughed so hard. And where did Will get that dashing white leather embroidered outfit from in the denouement in an hour or two? Pretty spiffy for the "More Cowbell" legend.

Will Ferrell Ruins Another

[FFman-847-460126 · 1/10 · 25 March 2012]

Will Ferrell has always found the most unique ways to take a film and make it terrible. Casa de mi Padre is different. Will Ferrell doesn't even try in this movie. It's almost as if he is begging for his loving crowd to come to the realization that he cannot act is isn't actually funny. Why else would he learn Spanish simply to make a film even worse? Unfortunately his fan base is still addictive to him—several people in my theatre found some of the most pathetic jokes hilarious.

Casa de mi Padre is technically written by Andrew Steele. I say technically because all Steele had to do was present the skeletal structure of a storyline. The rest would be filled with improv. For example, in the opening scene, one of Will Ferrell's friends says something that isn't funny—and they proceed to laugh for two whole minutes. I hate to call this improv because it insults the people who actually know how to do improv correctly.

As a result, the storyline is irrelevant and annoying. I can only assume that the point of the movie was to laugh at how absurd it was. Instead, it just comes across as insulting. There is a segment in the middle of the movie which promises action but instead cuts to a letter written by one of the cameramen who explains why the action scene cannot be shown. This is supposed to be funny. It is not. It is simply a time filler attempting to cover up the fact that the movie is utter crap.

Several of the scenes take place outdoors. Almost all of them are set against a painted backdrop that is placed only feet behind the actual shot. It is supposed to be absurdly funny, I know. It isn't. When a studio cuts corners to put out a crap film starring a beloved actor, we all know what is happening. Everybody is making bank because the movie is guaranteed to make a good profit. I give you exhibit A on why marijuana should remain illegal (NOTE: Ruining Will Ferrell's career is the only reasonable reason I can think of to not legalize pot).

You know full well that seeing this movie is handing over money that would be better spent getting a vasectomy. The only reason anyone would see this movie is because they are a Will Ferrell fan—in which case you will be exiled from the human race her shortly. Only April 20th, when all of you are stoned off your ass and watching Elf, the Navy Seals will find you and bring you to the North Pole. Once you sober up and realize Elf is fiction, we will all enjoy the Hunger Games-like reality show as you slowly freeze to death in the Artic.

reillyreviews.wordpress.com

It does what it was meant to do

[simplemandudee · 8/10 · 24 August 2012]

Casa de mi Padre is not for everyone. There is a very limited audience for this movie, such as Spanish speaking folk, Will Ferrell fans. But the main one I think is the telenovela watching audience.

Casa de mi Padre is meant to poke fun at Mexican telenovelas, and it pretty much succeeded. The exaggerated acting, the exaggerated drama, weddings getting shot up, the hilarious mistakes that telenovelas usually do and the not so great pacing. This movie has it all, and it manages to exaggerate even MORE on top of that. Typical Ferrell style.

The film also has a great Hispanic cast to boot. Diego Luna, Pedro Armendariz, Gael Garcia, Genesis Rodriguez and more. And of course, Will Ferrell speaking Spanish the whole film. He does an excellent job at it.

All in all this movie is hilarious. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and if you liked what you read just now you will most likely enjoy it too.

Underrated...

[max-441-625963 · 7/10 · 6 August 2012]

After reading some of these reviews, I had to comment.

I don't understand that some of you, (especially those who write some clever reviews), missed the "greatness" in this movie.

This film is based on clichés and is predictable. THIS FILM IS NOT MEANT TO BE AS A "laugh out loud" - COMEDY!

It is the way Ferrel portraits his character with HIS kind of humor. Mixed with typical buildups and "one-take" shots, seen in Mexican movies and Spanish series... The facial expressions and timing makes this film.

You don't have to like it, but don't say it is bad... it's a matter of taste.

El stupido

[movieman_kev · 2/10 · 23 July 2012]

Armando (Will Farrell) has his life turn upside down after he falls for the fiancé of his drug- dealing younger brother in this Spanish-language spoof.

Either a Will Farrell vanity project, a SNL skit that goes far too long or both, this satire on telenovelas is as short on laughs as it is long in the tooth. seems its the same three or four jokes told ad neseum when they barely register a chuckle the first time around. This film is definitely one only for the die hard fans of Farrell and no one else. If it were merely a "Funny or Die" skit, I'd still choose the latter part of that equation.

Was it released or did it escape?

[Quietb-1 · 4/10 · 30 March 2012]

Low brow low budget comedy that has a few laughs. They go out of their way to make it look cheap and cheesy in an attempt at humor. The cheap look gives it a certain charm. However, even at 84 minutes it feels too long.

Much of the humor is visual and the subtitles often distract from the visuals.

It's the kind of movie you expect to see funny out-takes over the end credits; you get a song. No reason to stay past the song for a final cameo that doesn't work at any level.

Will Ferrell took a risk. He forget the advice of Ron Burgendy "Stay classy". If you want to see this in a theater better hurry as it looks like it will have a quick exit to Netflix.

Mi nombre es Armando Alvarez

[Ramascreen · 7/10 · 14 March 2012]

What CASA DE MI PADRE couldn't fully deliver in comedy, it makes up for it in the concept, the style, and Will Ferrell's unbelievable dedication to his Spanish speaking role. Ferrell hasn't been funny in a long time in my opinion, since Anchorman, but seeing him in this different light gives some kind of new-found respect because even though his Spanish is very basic and very limited, it's more than obvious that the man gives his all. Comedy-wise, CASA DE MI PADRE works well as a satire or a parody, it's not necessarily laugh out loud but it's certainly unique… I think screenwriter Andrew Steele's mistake is that he treats this movie like he did his old SNL sketches, CASA DE MI PADRE does feel like a very long SNL sketch and the humor often happens only at the end of every scene either by way of endless chuckling or a character that would smoke more than one cigar at once for no reason whatsoever, that kind of joke only goes so far, it doesn't do much to tickle your funny bone. The best comedy, to me, is when the character is desperate, when he's cornered and his reactions aren't met accordingly. CASA DE MI PADRE on the other hand, tries hard to spoof the drama of Mexican soap opera to the point where the dialogue even comes off serious. But it's a good thing that director Matt Piedmont plays it silly, thanks to the use of miniatures and puppets, fake animals, and life-size dolls. Hilarious? not exactly. Silly, you betcha! I give mad credit to Will Ferrell for taking on this gig, as I said earlier, his Spanish is basic and limited and I'm sure it must be challenging for him to stick to the script considering he's known for his habit of going improv. His character, Armando Alvarez, is goody two-shoes, hopeless romantic, passionate, considered coward by everybody else but he's actually got some cojones, he's the kind of man who fights for his woman. Y Tu Mama Tambien guys, Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna are strong supporting actors in this film, those two fellas aren't strangers to each others' rhythm, it's one of those cases where you just roll the cameras and let them do their magic. New hottie in town, Genesis Rodriguez who plays the female lead, is beautiful and captivating. I think the movie tries its best to balance the tone between the comedy and the whole drug-trafficking commentary, but sometimes it's done at the expense of the comedy. The entire opening credit sequence, with a song by Christina Aguilera, looks like a James Bond opening theme for a Mexican Godfather movie if there ever was one. CASA DE MI PADRE pokes fun at old Mexican movies, Spaghetti western and cheesy Telenovelas. And all I can say is.. finally, Will Ferrell is worth watching again.

Made in America with Mexican parts.

[ironhorse_iv · 5/10 · 14 January 2013]

The movie is trying to be awful-- on purpose. Just because it's suppose to be a parodying of Mexico soap operas, telenovela, and acid western, doesn't make it any good. When a movie is suppose to be making fun of a genre of awful movies, while itself has some problems can lead it to being not noticing itself being awful. It's a mediocre film making fun of really bad films. The movie starts with the opening song 'Casa De Mi Padre'. The theme is very good, and Christina Aquilera sings it well. It's remind me of a James Bond theme, and gives high hopes for the film. In the classic style of Spanish language novellas comes the story of Armando Alvarez (Will Ferrell), a lonely rancher whom has lived and worked on his father's ranch in Mexico his entire life. I find it interesting that Hollywood would make a Spanish-language comedy with a predominately Hispanic cast, only to cast the lead role as a recognizable white Male with the joke being that he playing a Mexican. Will Ferrell plays the role straight serious even going so far to learn Spanish. Yes, Will Ferrell is really speaking Spanish, there is no dub, there. I feel that Mr. Ferrell would be an epic serious actor if he wasn't trying to be funny in this. One of the most unfunniest thing about the film, is what happen when Armando as a child trying to protect his mother. As the ranch encounters financial difficulties, Armando's smarter and older brother Raúl (Diego Luna), shows up with his new sexy fiancée, Sonia (Genesis Rodriquez). He quickly finds himself in love with his brother's fiancée, despite the huge age different between them is kinda disturbing. The age different between Raul and Armando is silly as well, despite Armando's older brother being way younger than him in real life. He soon finds his brother is smuggling drugs, and his way of gaining money is putting his family in danger with Mexico's most feared drug lord, the mighty Onza (Gael Garcia Bernal). Diego Luna & Gael Garcia Bernal work great together, as both co-starred together in Y Tu Mama Tambien. Amando must fight for the woman he loves while trying to save his family. The movie plot takes itself so serious, that the audience has to be playing attention to the weird humor of the film. It's doesn't come at you, you have to look for it from toy cars, bad camera cuts, fake background, disappear shots, stuff fake animals puppets, and mannequins. I like playing spot the mannequins. They used like eight mannequins throughout the film. The cinematography is so awful and so well done; both intentionally. Still there are long distance throughout the film, without any gags. The whole film is in Spanish, so if you reading constant subtitles, you might not miss the many funny face gestures. Having subtitles in a comedy seems to make no sense since half of comedy is delivery. To me this movie fails because it was targeted to people that actually spoke and know the Mexican movie/tevenovela. This movie was targeted to the very small selective group, not for everybody. Since this movie was mostly shows in American theater, most of the audience probably didn't got half of the jokes, even those whom are Spanish-American might not know what tevenovela is, as well. If you live in Mexico then this movie will make you laugh. Check it out, if you want. This film is not in Blazing Saddles league of parody, but maybe in a couple years, people might come to like this movie more.

Will Ferrell Translates Well Into Spanish

[patsworld · 7/10 · 23 March 2012]

From the James Bond-like beginning, to the slow-sequence Spaghetti-Western middle, to the musicality of the ending….tossing in enough smoking to make the Marlboro Man reel and enough blood-letting to make a vampire swoon….and you have a first-rate farce of a film. Ferrell is transformed from a loser, to a lover, to a lionhearted hero along the way and of course, it doesn't hurt that he's given the luscious, talented Genesis Rodriguez to play against either. Let's just say it was different….and surprisingly funny. Move over Clint Eastwood – the cowboy hat has been passed – and to Will Ferrell of all people. Who'd a thought it?

Eye-rolling, chuckles, silence - in that order

[StevePulaski · 5/10 · 18 July 2012]

I guess this is why high school recommends students to take at least two years of a foreign language. It looks good on any college resume and it may provide the building blocks for a satirical film in your later years. Hey, you never know. Casa De Mi Padre is a film Will Ferrell has most likely wanted to do for quite sometime, but the lack of mainstream interest has probably held him back. He rounds up his friends, some of them from the website "Funny or Die," and gives made-for-TV films that would usually air on the Puerto Rican channel, Telemundo a run for their money.

This is a parody of the telenovela style where locations are limited and usually reduced to clearly fake backdrops, animals are incredibly artificial, and the corniness and melodrama in the story is hammed up to unknown levels. The attention to detail and creativity levels that are next-to necessary to make a parody film of this style work are present, but everything else is ostensibly on autopilot.

Will Ferrell is Armando Álvarez, a man who has nothing but the utmost devotion to his father's ranch and their business. His brother, Raúl (Diego Luna), returns home one day with his fiancée, Sonia (Génesis Rodríguez), amid financial difficulties the ranch has been experiencing for quite sometime. Armando and his father believe that Raúl's newfound source of income as a businessman will be the end to this.

A few corny monologues and cheesy sing-a-longs later, we discover Raúl is in the business of drug-dealing, a sin in Armando's eyes, who believe loyalty is above all. This, of course, will lead to a showdown with Onza (Gael García Bernal), the renowned drug-dealer Raúl has been doing business with for quite sometime. I can at least say this film is more eventful and slightly more interesting than John Landis's Three Amigos.

I was instantaneously impressed with Will Ferrell's impeccable Spanish. Apparently, the producers only had one month to make him practically fluent, at least in the screenplay, and either Ferrell had prior experience or is a fast-learner. While this is his weakest work beside Old School, this is one of his finest performances. He immerses himself in the character of Armando, and has clearly seen enough of the cheesy telenovelas in question to at least be granted the right do a spoof on them.

Some scenes will induce eye-rolling, others induce chuckles, yet many induce silence, something I wouldn't have expected with a Will Ferrell comedy. The humor stems from such subtle things like Ferrell and his compadres laughing for an awkwardly long period of time or simply the preposterous action sequences. The material here could clearly be the foundation for a series of inspired shorts (on the "Funny or Die" website, for that matter), or even a Saturday Night Live skit. But extending the film's one-note joke out for seventy-five minutes, minus the five minute credit music video, can be considered not indulgence, but idea-suicide.

Starring: Will Ferrell, Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, Génesis Rodríguez, and Pedro Armendáriz, Jr. Directed by: Matt Piedmont.

A decent attempt, but it ought to have been funnier

[zetes · 6/10 · 23 July 2012]

A curious Spanish-language comedy starring Will Ferrell, who learned all of his lines phonetically (I've heard from Spanish speakers that he did a great job with that). This is apparently a parody of cheap Mexican melodramas, and it has an interesting and often absorbing aesthetic (obvious painted backdrops and such). The problem is, the filmmakers seem to think that this is funny in and of itself. It reminds you of something like Black Dynamite, but they kind of forgot they needed to write jokes outside of the goofy cheapness. There are a few - just not enough. The cast is pretty great here, including Diego Luna, Gael Garcia Bernal, Pedro Armendariz Jr. (who died before the film was released), Nick Offerman and the gorgeous Genesis Rodriguez (also quite fine in Man on a Ledge). At 84 minutes, this is hardly a chore, but you always feel like it could be infinitely funnier than it is.

Horrible

[jsjoyrox · 1/10 · 1 September 2012]

This was the worst movie I have ever seen. I love Will Ferrell but this was a horribly made and written movie. It wasn't even funny it was just stupid. It was so cheaply made and it's like they didn't even care if it wasn't realistic! I can't believe I sat there and watched the whole thing it was such a waste of my time. It Was A Total Let Down. horribly written, horrible use of green screen and background, horrible use of firing shots, horrible use of blood, horrible use of "animals", horrible all throughout. I will still watch Will Ferrell's work and I don't hold this horrible movie against him, I hold it against the writers, and directors.

classic, intelligent humor

[johnnyrj · 9/10 · 17 July 2012]

This movie is getting ripped on left and right, thankfully I decided to give it a shot anyway and was pleasantly surprised. The humor is pretty old-school which you rarely see these days. They don't spoon-feed the audience a lot of obvious HAW and BAHAHAHA moments which is what makes this movie clever. I got the direction and what they were trying to accomplish throughout. Loved the way it was shot, especially the cut scenes where the director really had some fun. For those of you who enjoy comedy on many different levels, this one is a must. Oh, and could Genesis Rodriguez be any hotter? Stunning woman. Very much enjoyed this flick and I hope people give it a chance. Don't believe all the negative hype. Popular opinion is rarely the right opinion.

THIS IS MY LAND

[nogodnomasters · 7/10 · 5 December 2018]

First the disclaimer: I love Will Farrell films. I hate the scenes that have Will Farrell in them.

This movie is a spoof of Mexican films. It involves drug dealers, ranchers, and a girl. The plot is immaterial. The fun aspect of the film is the fake sets, fake animals, fake special effects, bad editing and bad acting. This is all done by design. It would have been more realistic if we saw a boom mic lowered into the shot every now and then with a director yelling.

Because I didn't have to listen to Will Farrell in English, for some reason his lines were funnier and I was able to tolerate him. Make no mistake, this is a film for bad movie lovers. If you don't love bad movies, i.e. not a fan of MST 3000 don't bother with this film. Great film for Asylum lovers.

Parental Guide: F-bomb, sex? rear nudity

Funny or Die does Mexican soap

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 1 September 2013]

Armando Alvarez (Will Ferrell) works on his father's financially struggling ranch in Mexico. His younger brother Raul (Diego Luna) shows up with new fiancé Sonia (Genesis Rodriguez). Raul's business gets them involved with the drug lord, the mighty Onza (Gael Garcia Bernal).

Will Ferrell is trying to do mocksoap like 'Spinal Tap' does with rock documentaries. Although the question is does soap operas truly need mocking? Are they not truly mock proof? My opinion is there really isn't any Will could do here that somebody would find shocking in a soap. The acting is too mannered. It's certainly not funny enough. It would help to do more slapstick. The story itself is meaningless and unimportant.

El Bad

[shlunka · 4/10 · 14 August 2012]

Watching this movie was like eating a Taco Bell burrito, only to find human blood in it. I'd still probably eat it, and I still sat through this movie in its entirety.

The jokes fell flatter than a tortilla trying to do a backflip for the first time. There was no realistic character development, (not that I expected any).

This movie was simply a vehicle for the typically vulgar and uncreative humor generator that is Will Ferrell. Who functions as an ice cream truck that only delivers the cone and expects full price. (Yes, a vague allusion to Last Action Hero's "To Cone A Phrase.")

I wouldn't recommend watching this film unless you're bent on watching every Ferrell movie in existence, which is like binge watching Bergman, only really bad in every way.

So it's not like watching Bergman, but like watching Seth Macfarlane watch Bergman and attempt to MST3K it with penis references and jew jokes. But with a burrito also cracking jokes.

Of the Will Ferrell garbage, this is the juice that flows from under the dumpster.

Ron Burgundy In Mexico

[therealjuansanchez · 7/10 · 26 March 2012]

Casa de mi Padre makes no bones about that fact that it is not for everybody. The telenovela spoof – Spanish, subtitled in English - with unapologetically cheap production values revels in the retro and weird, proudly humming along to its daffy spaghetti western tune as if every wild moment is entirely plausible. Casa stars Will Ferrell as Armando Alvarez, a dimwitted Mexican ranchero that "loves the land more than he loves the woman." Armando is catapulted into a love triangle and drug-war when his morally corrupt brother Raul (Diego Luna) and Raul's fiancé Sonia (Genesis Rodriguez) return home to marry and take over the territory of the reigning crime lord Onza (Gael Garcia Bernal).

In a scene preceding the bloody climax, Armando, shot and left for dead, is rescued from a man-eating coyote by a talking animatronic wildcat that serves as motivator, shaman and, presumably, medical doctor. Oh my! The charm of Casa is in how it approaches its melodramatic story and outrageous characters with equal parts goof and earnest, keeping all over-the-top comedic outbursts grounded in the world it has created.

With few laugh out loud moments, the film is best appreciated for its free-spirited confidence and gleefully offbeat dialogue. The decision to interrupt an imminent battle between the anamatronic wildcat and man-eating coyote over the lifeless body of Armando Alvarez represents a missed opportunity. Note to director Matt Piedmont, we want to see a wildcat fight a coyote over Will Ferrell while he plays dead. Make it a miniature puppet battle over a mannequin if you need to, just as long as we get to see it. Actually, that would be awesome!