Chef's Special |  | Director: Nacho Garcia Veilla
Actors: Javier Camara, Lola Duenas, Fernando Tejero, Chus Lampreave, Benjamin Vicuna
Studio: TLA
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.99
Buy New: $10.57
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Rating:  2 reviews
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: Spanish (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Rating: Unrated
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 111 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: TLAD217
UPC: 807839004236
EAN: 0807839004236
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: October 20, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | CHEF'S SPECIAL (DVD MOVIE) |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Studio: Tla Releasing Release Date: 10/20/2009 Run time: 104 minutes
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| Customer Reviews:
"Chef" has a lot on his plate, in this madcap romantic comedy from Spain October 21, 2009
Bob Lind (Phoenix, AZ United States)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Maxi is a nebbish, gay, drama queen, owner/chef of a struggling restaurant. He is helped out by a close-knit but somewhat scatterbrained group of employees, including his best gal pal, Alex, who seems to have a knack for being attracted to the wrong men. When a handsome, former superstar soccer player moves into Maxi's apartment building, Alex is instantly smitten, and recruits Maxi to help her make a play for him, but the handsome athlete turns out to be closeted and is actually attracted to Maxi instead. Meanwhile, Maxi reunites with his children from a failed marriage, a sullen teenage son and hyperactive 6 year old daughter, who come to live with him after the death of their mother. After years of being alone and set in his ways, Maxi finds it difficult to suddenly have a lover as well as having to be an "instant" good father, a role he never wanted.
"Fuera de carta (Chef's Special)" is a 2008 Spanish film directed and written by a team that mostly writes TV sitcoms in that country, and it shows. The pace is light and breezy, with madcap physical comedy and unexpected revelations delivering most of the laughs. And, despite some criticism in a few reviews that the script contains too many homophobic jokes, the context in which they are told (most by Maxi's somewhat senile father, who doesn't seem to be able to stop himself) makes it clear that they are a product of the ignorance of the person speaking, reminiscent of Archie on "All In The Family" in the US. Overall, I found this to be a well-written, positive and largely hysterical romantic comedy, much recommended to both gay and open-minded non-gay audiences. Five (Michelin) stars out of five!
DVD soundtrack is in Spanish with English subtitles. (Note that the film is very dialogue-intensive, so it takes a lot of constant reading to keep up with what is happening.) Extras include a "making of" featurette and photo album.
Family Comedy July 21, 2009
Amos Lassen (Little Rock, Arkansas)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
"Chef's Special"
Family Comedy
Amos Lassen
There is a lot of talk about "Chef's Special" as being a family comedy with gay characters and it is suitable for broad audiences. The gay characters are seen as people with good and bad qualities. They are neither perfect nor "poor" members of society--they are just people.
Maxi (Javier Camara) feels that his life is perfect. He is a famous and sought after cool who owns a high class restaurant in Cheuca, Spain ( a district of Madrid where many who live there are gay). He also is gay but his life is problem free. He was once married (a mistake) and his son suddenly finds him. At the same time a new neighbor moves in who just happens to be a very attractive Argentinean ex-soccer player.
Quite naturally comedy follows and even though some of the scenes are quite sexy, this is a wholesome film that all can enjoy.
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