CASA DE MI PADRE

CASA DE MI PADRE is a surreal, off-the-wall comedy with a strong Romantic worldview and plenty of raunchy humor and strong foul language. It’s basically a vanity project for its star, Will Ferrell. It’s also a spoof of telenovela Mexican TV and movies where Ferrell speaks fluent Spanish from start to finish while surrounded by a cast of all Latino actors, plus “Parks and Recreation” sitcom star Nick Offerman. Apparently, CASA is one of Ferrell’s personal dream projects.

In the story, Ferrell plays Armando Alvarez. Armando is such a simple-minded rancher that his own father regularly mocks his intelligence. He’s also notorious for being a virgin in his mid-40s. In fact, other ranchers snicker that he sure pays a lot of attention to his cows, but Armando swears he simply hasn’t found the right woman.

Well, that woman arrives quickly enough. She’s on the arm of Armando’s younger, smarter, and much more successful brother, Raul. In fact, she’s his fiancé, Sonia. It soon becomes clear that Raul is secretly a drug dealer. In fact, that’s how Raul is helping to save the family ranch.

Problems arise when a competing drug lord named La Onza launches a drug war. Armando must step up and save the day while winning the girl.

This plot may sound simple and straightforward enough, but CASA is anything but normal. From start to finish, it’s designed to be a straight-faced mockery of Mexican TV and cinema, from its ridiculous sets to its bad writing, over-the-top Spaghetti Western score, and absurdly slow-motion sex and violence. There are also stuffed lions and cougars threatening the men. This leads to an animal battle so absurd the film freezes mid-frame while the filmmakers type a letter of apology onscreen. Some of this is admittedly very funny, in an absurd, goofy way.

In keeping with its freewheeling spirit, however, CASA DE MI PADRE tosses in some very graphic sex and violence, as well as sporadic bursts of heavy profanity and some explicit nudity. These scenes are played for laughs. This might fly with secular and pagan audiences, but media-wise viewers will be surprised, disgusted, and righteously offended by the movie’s excessive immoral elements. CASA DE MI PADRE does seem to have an anti-drug message, however.

CASA DE MI PADRE is not Ferrell’s typical blockbuster fare, but it contains a lot of the raunchy qualities of some of his other comedies. Happily, most filmgoers likely will be confused despite the subtitles provided. The excessive raunchy elements make CASA DE MI PADRE unacceptable viewing.