American Movies & Mexican Audiences...

Last night Jen & I went to Cinemex in what I call the Home Depot Plaza (behind Home Depot at the west end of Coba) and saw The Campaign. It's funny enough, if you like Will Ferrell movies. At one point in the movie, Ferrell, who plays an infantile North Carolina fat boy-turned-Senator (think George W Bush before he found Jesus at age 40) and his naive gay opponent (think Richard Simmons' lamer brother) have some drinks together and Ferrell, in party mode, cries out, "We are going to Cancun...!!"

The trash-talking scene in The Candidate

Jen & I cheered a bit, but no one else did.. which surprised me. If an audience in Toronto was watching a movie & heard a line like that about T.O., someone, if not everyone, would react in some audible fashion. And if the audience was largely black, the place would go bananas (I know that's a stereotype but it's partly true).

Anyway, I kind of miss American & Canadian audiences. Isn't audience participation part of the fun of going to a movie? Compared to audiences at home, those here are a little too well-mannered (tho soccer games are another story). Some people laughed occasionally last night, but for a zany comedy, the theatre was generally pretty quiet (with two exceptions - hehehe)

On the way home, Jen reminded me of another funny incident that happened a few weeks ago when we were watching Ted. It's an adult comedy in which Mark Wahlberg's character has a lifelong dream/nightmare come true when his cuddly teddy bear comes to life... as an obscene pig. At one point the pair talk about starting a restaurant:  

"Okay, yeah, let's make it an Italian joint."

"Great, love it!"

"With no restrictions, everyone's allowed in."

"Oh my gosh I love that. Don't restrict anyone, not even the Jews."

"Well obviously not the Jews, why would you even say that?"

"We wouldn't, that's the point."

"No, but I mean, why would you even mention it right now."

"You wouldn't, I'm not even saying anything about it... But seriously, no Mexicans!"

No Mexicans! Of course Jen & I burst out laughing! Eventually we regained our senses, and remembered where we were. The rest of the theatre, of course, was entirely silent.

Anyway, I love most of the people I meet here, and I'm sure they are more lively on other occasions & I know that subtitled American films are no basis on which to generalize here. But I will say this: if Jen & I ever have a pizza party here & watch dumb American comedies in English, we'll invite our fun friends... but seriously... no serious Mexicans!