The Valet movie review

MOVIE TITLE: The Valet

This romantic comedy remake of the 2006 French film is now available on Hulu

RATING: PG-13

LENGTH: 2 hours 4 minutes

IN A NUTSHELL:

In “The Valet,” world-famous movie star, Olivia (played by the lovely Samara Weaving) faces a PR disaster when a paparazzi snaps a photo of her with her married lover, Vincent Royce (played by Max Greenfield). The hard-working valet Antonio (Eugenio Derbez) accidentally appears in the same photo and is enlisted to pose as Olivia’s new boyfriend as a cover-up. This ruse with Olivia thrusts Antonio into the spotlight and unexpected chaos. In this fish-out-of-water romantic comedy, two worlds and cultures collide as both Olivia and Antonio start to see themselves more clearly than ever before.

THINGS I LIKED:

The talented cast includes funnyman Eugenio Derbez, beautiful Samara Weaving, Max Greenfield, Amaury Nolasco, Marisol Nichols, and Betsy Brand.
The opening sequence that shows the Valet riding his bike through town perfectly illustrates the colorful and diverse neighborhoods of Los Angeles.
Great score. I especially loved the Latino music in the limo scene.
Act 3 was incredibly touching and heartfelt. Yep, I even shed a few tears.
The film was lovingly dedicated to Carmen Salinas.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

First off, I don’t think infidelity is charming or funny.
It’s hard to feel sorry for a rich, famous, beautiful woman who created her own problem by sleeping with a married man.
Despite a few surprising, heartfelt moments, the story is very predictable.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will be bored.
Inappropriate humor about intimate relations and body parts
Spanish is spoken often with subtitles that need to be read
Some profanity, including several silently-mouthed F-bombs

THEMES:

Infidelity
Honesty & Truth
Paparazzi & images
Pride in the Latin community
Love and loss
Kindness
Family
Gentrification
Friendship
Community

FUNNY LINES:

* “You can’t just be a good actress and be a good person too.” – Olivia (Samara Weaving)

“I pay you not to judge me.” – Vincent Royce (Max Greenfield) tells his attorney

INTERESTING LINES:

“There’s a lie here somewhere.” – Kathryn Royce (Betsy Brandt)
“Maybe you’re underestimating the passion and charisma of a Latin man.” – Antonio (Eugenio Derbez)
“I have one of the most recognizable faces in the world, but I don’t ever feel seen.” – Olivia Allen (Samara Weaving)
“I want to be with someone who feels like they deserve the best of everything.” – Isabel (Marisol Nichols)