5 Ways to Prep: How to Be a Latin Lover

By George Rose

April 27, 2017

You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave

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Instructions is about Valentin, a man who had a daughter left on his doorstep years ago only to raise her alone and have his world turned upside down when the birth mother resurfaces. While it has an interesting enough plot, it seems to have some of the same emotional beats as Latin Lover and had just enough white people in it to get some attention in America. It’s crazy how the Hollywood system works but Americans suuuuure do love their white actors. The movie was a hit and, given the similarities in their posters, Latin Lover seems to be the direct result of that success. Same actor, comparable posters, some white people… basically, if you don’t feel like paying to go to the theater you can watch this movie at home instead. Instructions got great reviews though so I do plan on renting it sometime in the near future.

5) Marry Me: Season One (2014-2015)

Speaking of white people, I was shocked to learn the ultimate white guy directed Latin Lover. It’s kind of funny (yet predictable) when another culture has a surprise hit movie and white people everywhere want to jump on the bandwagon. Ken Marino is a guy you probably don’t know by name but would recognize if you searched for him online. He’s starred as “recognizable yet funny white guy” in movies like Role Models (2008) and We’re the Millers (2013), and has only ever directed a handful of random TV show episodes. I guess after the surprising success of Instructions he decided to finally direct a movie and Latin Lover was the one he chose. He isn’t the only one trying to tap into this Latin craze as, aside from the main character, the movie is littered with white faces that are famous enough to know but not famous enough to anchor their own white blockbuster (Rob Lowe, Kristen Bell and Michael Cera to name a few).



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I’m not thrilled how Latin Lover seems to be another example of how white people take advantage of Mexican people (if you need examples, Google search “Trump” and “wall” and see what comes up) but I really do like Ken Marino and am interested in how his directorial debut goes. There aren’t any reviews available yet, which is a bad sign, but Ken Marino is a proven comedic talent and the best example of that is his (failed) TV show Marry Me. Starring the equally funny Casey Wilson, the show was about a newly engaged couple and the hilarity that situation lends itself to. As a recently engaged person, I can attest that there is definite horror and humor to be found within being engaged and this TV gets everything right out of the latter. It broke my heart when the show was renewed but it remains one of the funniest first seasons of television I’ve seen in the last few years. If Ken has half the talent directing that he does making me laugh, Latin Lover could be a surprise comedy gem.

And with that, my friends, we come to the end of the article and the end of the Spring movie season. Next week kicks off Summer in a big way with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. For at least the next few months we have nothing but potential blockbusters which should give me plenty to work with. I’ll see you again next week with a great big smile on my face.


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