"Ladrón Que Roba a Ladrón" To Show Caper Comedies Don't Do Well In Spanish, Either
It’s tough to decide which is less surprising about the first mainstream, Spanish-language film Hollywood has geared towards U.S.-residing Latinos in recent memory—the fact that we and many other entertainment media had no idea it existed until today, just four days before it opens; or that the movie’s title, “Ladrón Que Roba a Ladrón” (“Thief Who Robs a Thief”), is unbearably clunky. (We doubt the four people who watch it will know the saying that starts off that way.) Other than that, the movie’s premise is actually not so repugnant:
The caper comedy revolves around two veteran thieves who reunite in Los Angeles to rob a TV infomercial guru/con man who has made a fortune selling useless health items to poor Latino immigrants.
The director who pitched the movie drew inspiration from an observation his buddy, its eventual screenwriter, made in what we hope was a show of lateral stereotyping:
I remembered an idea he came up with about a heist pulled off by the people you never notice that are sort of invisible — the maid, the gardener, the chauffeur. Nobody looks at a Mexican with a broom.
Indeed. Likewise, nobody in the States looks twice at a Spanish-language movie unless it involves subtitles and a giant faun.
With ‘Ladrón Que Roba a Ladrón,’ Hollywood makes a caper en español [LA Times]
Image [IMDb]
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- Managing Editor
Daniel Mauser
- Editor
Cindy Casares
- Associate Editor
Alex Alvarez
- Contributing Editors
Gabriel Caro - Camilla Rowan
- Video Editor
Marcelo Cunning
Just because YOU only heard of the film FOUR DAYS before the release, doesn’t mean the CORE AUDIENCE hasn’t been hearing of it for weeks and months even.
Do some research, pal, and you’ll see its been out there for some time.
You’re CLEARLY not the target audience.
You CLEARLY don’t know what you’re talking about.
Guanabe… that says it all.
Posted by Kyle Smith | August 28, 2007
I smell a hater
I just googled the title of this movie that apparently EVERYONE has heard of AND I only came up with TWO damn articles. Are you a psychic smith?! wow
But enough with the hissy fits. Thanks for INFORMING me that this movie is out there. The trailer convinced me to definitely check it out.
Posted by gatita79 | August 28, 2007
well, I just googled the title of this movie that apparently EVERYONE has heard of AND I only came up with TWO damn articles.
But enough with the hissy fits. Thanks for INFORMING me that this movie is out there. The trailer convinced me to definitely check it out.
Posted by gatita79 | August 28, 2007
Yup.. you are a guanabee. I think Kyle Smith has a point in that you are not the target audience for this movie… I have heard of the movie as well as everyone who watches telemundo for at least 10 minutes any day. They’ve been advertising this movie like crazy (yes…. I watch telenovelas.. boo hoo)
Anyhow, judging by the name Mr. Kyle is NOT part of the target audience himself and probably knows so much about this movie (and is so defensive)because his work involves this movie? gasp!
Anyhow, I’m a disapointed by you guanabee … that Peru/Chavez story has been out since the week of the earthquake…. you are being sloppy… chop chop! get back to work and to giving us breaking news… everytime I come here I’m reading about old stuff, you guys use to be better…
Posted by e | August 28, 2007