For most of its running time, this Mexican short film sticks so closely to a predictable romantic comedy formula – the classic tale of meeting the in-laws – that you know there must be a poisonous barb at the end of this tail. Cloying music underscores every sickening, saccharine moment of romance. Marissa (Carolina Valdés) is an attractive young lady awaiting the arrival of her father, Don Antonio (Aleksander Sauvinet), who has agreed to meet her newest boyfriend, the boyish-faced Paco (Jorge Mendoza). Paco arrives home, and there's the obligatory conversation about how critical the father has been of previous boyfriends. Paco assures Marissa that he'll be at his most delectable.
All this time, I suspected that the narrative was about to veer off its rails, but I didn't know how. When the meat tenderiser made its booming first appearance, how I laughed! I'm not I'm not even sure why; I'm not a morbid guy at all. Perhaps the absurd abruptness of the film's mood-shift transformed it into a cartoon, in which all violence is hilarious. I watched 'Love, Salt and Pepper' in Spanish with English subtitles, and, ironically, the only dialogue I understood was "bonjour mademoiselle." There's a pun at the end that I think was lost in translation. The meal is described by Don Antonio as "young." I've never heard that adjective ascribed to meat; perhaps "rare" is the closest equivalent.
All this time, I suspected that the narrative was about to veer off its rails, but I didn't know how. When the meat tenderiser made its booming first appearance, how I laughed! I'm not I'm not even sure why; I'm not a morbid guy at all. Perhaps the absurd abruptness of the film's mood-shift transformed it into a cartoon, in which all violence is hilarious. I watched 'Love, Salt and Pepper' in Spanish with English subtitles, and, ironically, the only dialogue I understood was "bonjour mademoiselle." There's a pun at the end that I think was lost in translation. The meal is described by Don Antonio as "young." I've never heard that adjective ascribed to meat; perhaps "rare" is the closest equivalent.
