Review of You're Missing the Point

I'm not a big fan of comedies, but Cantínflas is absolutely wonderful and this is one of his best films. I laughed out loud all through the film, and loved it so much I bought the dvd. Most of the humor is verbal, like in the best of the Marx brothers films, so I'm not sure how it comes across with subtitles to a non-Spanish speaking public. I suspect some of the puns and witty responses don't hold up well to translation. If you know Spanish, you will marvel at Mario Moreno's verbal skills. If you don't know Spanish, you can still enjoy his silly behavior, his funny facial expressions, and the general exasperation of other characters who try to follow his logic. The pace is fast, the gags are constant, and you will really understand why Mexican audiences flocked to see Cantínflas films for so many years when you see this movie. He's a cultural icon, and you can't really understand Mexican films without knowing something about this man. He makes fun of authorities, he turns the system on its head and comes out on top against all odds. It's worth watching to see how he does it.