Posted: 06/06/2004

A Day Without a Mexican

(2004)

by Hank Yuloff

So many times we get to say that a movie had a great premise but was poorly executed. And with A Day Without A Mexican, I can add one more movie to that list.

For those few of you outside of Southern California who might actually think of seeing this movie because Harry Potter was sold out and this was the only thing left with tickets, here is that premise: In SoCal, our economy, as well as many other states, is dependent on many ethnic minorities. As the title shows, this movie is focusing on the Latino population and the impact on everyone’s lives if they all just disappeared into the fog. One day, everyone wakes up and they are gone.

Cute idea. Really badly done. In fact, director Sergio Arau (born and raised in Mexico City) comes really close to making a quite racist movie because the farce is just not funny enough. The funniest thing is that in 1998, Arau’s biography shows that he already made this movie once. Sleeping dogs should be left alone. It is not even worth talking about the acting. Let’s just say all the actors had too much tequila and showed up for one day of shooting. Since I try and find something positive to rationalize my time being wasted, I will say that the opening song (same title as the movie) was very listenable.

Since it is only A Day Without A Mexican, you can figure out for yourself that the Hispanic population does, indeed, reappear and the economy of Southern California is saved. I wish I had saved the $20 from my own personal economy and blown this movie off. Bottom line, this movie isn’t even worth sneaking into.

At least I get paid the same for a review whether it is long or not.

Hank Yuloff is one of our writers in Los Angeles who actually knows the entire name of the city in which he lives.

Got a problem? E-mail us at filmmonthly@gmail.com