Rating:
(out of 5 stars)Director: Rick de Oliveira
Producer: Rick de Oliveira
Visit the IMDB page for full cast and crew
Click on the photo to buy merchandise from The Real Cancun.
|
THE
REAL CANCUN Rating: (out of 5 stars)Director: Rick de Oliveira Producer: Rick de Oliveira Visit the IMDB page for full cast and crew |
Click on the photo to buy merchandise from The Real Cancun. |
Review by: Curtis
Raines
4/28/03
There are some phenomena that I will never be able to explain. 1. The Mystery of Stonehenge. 2. Why Mark Madsen is paid to play in the NBA. 3. The success of The Real World on MTV. Now I know nothing is more "real" than seven spoiled wannabe actors living in a rent-free mansion with cameras taping their every move. I mean, that's as real as it gets. We're talking hardcore real. Everybody has had to go through that at one point of his or her life. So we can all relate. But the success of it all has always amazed me.
And thanks to The Real World, we are now drowning in shows like Joe Millionaire every night. The only thing we need more of than reality TV is cutaway shots of celebrities at Lakers' playoff games. But now reality TV has hit the big screen with this latest masterpiece: The Real Cancun.
We have sixteen strangers thrown in a mansion for a week at the heart of the 2003 Spring Break. Now most of us are familiar with what goes on at Spring Break: College kids spending their parents' money on beer and lap dances. But now we get it uncensored. Basically what you see on MTV, but with the addition of nudity and curse words.
The main problem with this documentary is that it really is The Real Cancun. These people really are real. And real equals boring. My friend said it best when I informed him that I was going to see this movie. He said, "I tell you what, Curtis. Just watch my home video of my trip to Cabo San Lucas and pay me nine bucks." We kind of laughed together, but then I realized he was right. The reason why reality shows are popular is because the people on them are not real. They put on a fake persona with manufactured story lines in a surreal environment. The Real Cancun just tapes the vacation of sixteen kids. Big fricking deal. There is none of the gossip or sexual tension that makes reality TV what it is. There is no hook and it certainly had the feel of being thrown together in just a few weeks (this was the 2003 Spring Break).
One character, Alan, is slightly interesting. The reason for this is because the audience gets to witness the corruption of him. And I feel bad (well, not really) because we laugh at him and not with him. We get to see him take his first shot of alcohol. We see him get together with a girl for the first time. But again, the only reason why this is slightly entertaining is because the director, Rick de Oliveira, totally exploits this poor kid. He's so starving for some sort of attention that he will do anything for it. Even if it makes him look like a complete jackass in the process. You find yourself hoping the kid will either shut up or stop what he's doing to save face.
But all in all, The Real Cancun is unfortunately too real. A boring snapshot of kids partying. And if you think the nudity is going to be abundant, you're wrong. After a gratuitous first twenty minutes, there's nothing but a lot of talking and drinking. No story, no fighting, no sexual tension between housemates and not nearly enough entertainment to keep you interested. If you are that hard up to see a wet t-shirt contest, then by all means, spend the nine bucks and go. Otherwise, it really is 90 minutes of kids being kids at Spring Break with nothing controversial or new to offer.
(A New Line Cinema release. Opened
in wide release on April 25, 2003.)
Comment
on the message boards.
|
|
|
|
|