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One thing always leads to another in these types of films and soon enough a block of frozen soup accidentally tossed from the window may prove murderous. Lies and cover-ups only make the situation worse (Rafi thinks he may have inadvertently killed Leni's father) and what should have been a peaceful family dinner turns into pandemonium. Family pathos march out single file and frigidity, sibling rivalry, jealousy, and general dysfunction are only the tip of the iceberg of this wickedly funny farce. Of course there are scenes that can be eliminated, and I tend to veer towards leaving any bathroom scenes on the cutting floor, especially the one involving Rafi and the grandfather. And the slutty sister's 6 year old daughter is more annoying than funny — rather than being a scene-stealer, you sort of hope Rafi throws her out of the window along with the soup. Leni and Rafi act as if their unorthodox love will never be a problem, but of course a blow up at the end shows where their cultures clash and it's hilarious. Coupled with an excellent performance by Aleandro as a mother who must always have the last word ("There'll be peace in Israel before your father gives me an orgasm!"), a truly enjoyable film is born, both for its humor and its intelligence. The last movie that cracked me up to this extent another Spanish film called Semen: A Love Story. It's refreshing to see that Spanish film is not all Almodóvar (whose films I adore) or filled with corrupt priests in the countryside at the onset of the Spanish civil war. I laughed a lot during the film but had insomnia later in the night, thinking about the craziness of families coupled with the lunacy of politics: in one scene Aleandro laments that her possible future grandchild will be forced to blow itself up due to his/her Palestinian heritage. In another, the fact that we seem to be living in the Middle Ages is made abundantly clear. In the end though, there are enough tender moments in the film to keep from falling into a total depression about the state of the world.
 
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