A remake of Ang Lee's family comedy Eat Drink Man Woman, Maria Ripoli's Hispanic-American ensemble feature set in Southern California about a veteran chef named Martin Naranjo (Hector Elizondo), who is slowly losing his sense of taste. He has three daughters, all of whom have chosen different paths. There is Letitia (Elizabeth Pena), the oldest and most repressed of the bunch, a rigid schoolteacher who is a member of the Christian faith. His youngest, Maribel (Tamara Mello), is the most assured,
though plagued by doubts. His middle daughter Carmen (Jacqueline Obradors) is most like him and shares his taste for cooking, but has chosen a career as a corporate consultant, which makes for a more secure lifestyle. She is offered a high-profile job in Barcelona, which causes a rift in the family setting. Maribel soon finds herself drawn to a handsome Brazilian student (Nikolai Kinski), and Letitia is gaining affection for Orlando (Paul Rodriguez), an awkward ballplayer whom her students have sent mistaken love letters to without her knowing. Also at their dinners are a shy single mother (Constance Marie) and her obnoxious mother (Raquel Welch), who has her sights set on Martin's affections. Tortilla Soup is Maria Ripoli's second major feature, after her whimsical 1998 feature Twice Upon a Yesterday. ~ Jason Clark, Rovi
Thanks to a perfectly blended ensemble led by Hector Elizondo, in his best screen role to date, Tortilla Soup is a warm-blooded winner with equal emphasis placed on taste buds and heartstrings.
If your erotic inclinations tilt toward the table, Tortilla Soup will probably offer nothing short of hardcore pleasure. If not, but see it you must, close your eyes and think of other appetites.
While this cheerful film has nothing particularly new to say about the ties that hold family members together even when they're driving each other crazy, it's a pleasure to watch such a talented ensemble at work.
Like a drunken karaoke version of a classic song, this derivative piece of filmmaking does little but blemish our memories of the magic it is trying to copy.
There's nothing original here, but the film is pleasant enough, and it's a pleasure to see Elizondo on the screen again. Peña, Obradors and Mello are fine as well.
Despite a few adjustments, Ripoll's film largely remains faithful to the central plotting of Lee's original film, which presented a slightly familiar yet utterly charming tale of food and families.
Funny and charming, but not as good as the original version of Ang Lee's. But the cooking is good and will make you hungry just watching them eat their dinners.
No quotes approved yet for Tortilla Soup. Logged in users can submit quotes.
Submit a Quote from 'Tortilla Soup'
A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Please make your quotes accurate. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the RT staff.
Example:
Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try. Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.
Top Critic
