Seeing this movie 10 years after filming wrapped, it is not hard to understand why it is taking so long to get to the general public. Writer\Director Judy Hecht Dumontet has not established a consistent tone, so the film alternates between satire, sacrilege, pathos, Capra-like moments, family values, religiosity, ribaldry, and ethnic humor (making fun of Jews as well as Hispanics) in a fairly random hodgepodge. If this movie were on the menu at its namesake restaurant, most diners no doubt would leave with indigestion. While a highly motivated peer reviewer might take the time necessary to make a glowing comment, saying TORTILLA HEAVEN is the best thing since triple-bladed safety razors, and rate their experience as a perfect "10," I can see why a film fest experience in East L.A. or Southwest Detroit will not translate to an equally side-splitting good time when watching TORTILLA HEAVEN on d.v.d. in the privacy of your home. Sure, there are plenty of worse choices out there (which merit well-deserved ratings of 1 through 5), but I sure would like to take a class for credit from a teacher who could stomach anything higher than a C+ for an outing featuring such uneven acting, writing, plotting, and tone.
Review of Tortilla Heaven
