A Day Without a Mexican (2004) - Rotten Tomatoes

A Day Without a Mexican (2004)

A Day Without a Mexican (2004)

TOMATOMETER

27%
25%

AUDIENCE SCORE

38%

Critic Consensus: No consensus yet.

A Day Without a Mexican Photos

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Movie Info

Marking the directorial debut of Sergio Arau, son of Like Water for Chocolate director Alfonso Arau, A Day Without a Mexican ponders the potentially catastrophic results that would occur if California-based Mexicans, who make up over a third of the state's population, were to suddenly disappear. The mockumentary postulates that the lack of Latino gardeners, nannies, cooks, policeman, maids, teachers, farm workers, construction crews, entertainers, athletes, and the world's largest growing consumer market would create a social, political, and economic disaster, leaving the concept of the "California Dream" in shambles. A Day Without a Mexican proved controversial even before its release: promotional billboards reading "On May 14th, there will be no Mexicans in California" caused a stir with immigrant rights groups, who believed the sign was a statement against the Latino community. The film stars Yareli Arizmendi, John Getz, Maureen Flannigan, and Muse Watson.

Cast

Yareli Arizmendi
as Lila Rodriguez
John Getz
as Senator Steven Abercombie III
Maureen Flannigan
as Mary Jo Quintana
Muse Watson
as Louis McClaire
Caroline Aaron
as Aunt Gigi
Tony Abatemarco
as Talk Show Host
Eduardo Palomo
as Roberto Quintana
Bru Muller
as George McClaire
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Critic Reviews for A Day Without a Mexican

All Critics (22) | Top Critics (12)

As many times you consider A Day Without a Mexican a crude and underdeveloped parody, there are moments that it vindicates itself with on-the-money situations.

September 17, 2004 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…
Miami Herald
Top Critic

The movie in its extended version is frequently muddled, emotionally messy, a little heavy-handed and misses the real opportunity presented by the new format.

September 16, 2004 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…
Chicago Tribune
Top Critic

Charming if amateurish farce of a movie.

August 27, 2004 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…
Denver Post
Top Critic

By the film's end, we're more beleaguered than enlightened.

August 26, 2004 | Rating: 3/5
Arizona Republic
Top Critic

The tone is often that of a preachy after-school special, down to the instructional messages that regularly flash across the screen.

June 4, 2004 | Rating: 1/4 | Full Review…
San Francisco Chronicle
Top Critic

Arau has expanded his satirical short from 1998 into one joke that he solemnly beats to death for 100 minutes.

June 3, 2004 | Rating: 2/4
San Jose Mercury News
Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (22)

Audience Reviews for A Day Without a Mexican

Starts out funny, and then just stays rather boring...

Joseph Eastmond
Joseph Eastmond

Super Reviewer

I know I've seen this movie but it was pretty forgettable.

Megan S
Megan S

Super Reviewer

Like a Saturday Night Live skit that plays for 2 hours. I'm glad that Sergio Arau shows how if Mexicans were to dissapear all the low level jobs would have to be done by white people. Thatnks for setting back any progress Mexican Americans have made with your unfunny movie.

James Alvarez
James Alvarez

Super Reviewer

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