A Day Without a Mexican (2004)

29% of critics liked it
(21 reviews)
40% of users liked it
(8,191 ratings)

Marking the directorial debut of Sergio Arau, son of Like Water for Chocolate director Alfonso Arau, A Day Without a Mexican ponders the potentially catastrophic results that would occur if California-based Mexicans, who make up over a third of the state's population, were to suddenly disappear. The… More Marking the directorial debut of Sergio Arau, son of Like Water for Chocolate director Alfonso Arau, A Day Without a Mexican ponders the potentially catastrophic results that would occur if California-based Mexicans, who make up over a third of the state's population, were to suddenly disappear. The mockumentary postulates that the lack of Latino gardeners, nannies, cooks, policeman, maids, teachers, farm workers, construction crews, entertainers, athletes, and the world's largest growing consumer market would create a social, political, and economic disaster, leaving the concept of the "California Dream" in shambles. A Day Without a Mexican proved controversial even before its release: promotional billboards reading "On May 14th, there will be no Mexicans in California" caused a stir with immigrant rights groups, who believed the sign was a statement against the Latino community. The film stars Yareli Arizmendi, John Getz, Maureen Flannigan, and Muse Watson. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 35 min.
Directed By: Sergio Arau
Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy

In Theaters: May 14, 2004 Wide
On DVD: Nov 9, 2004
Studio: Televisa Cine

Critic Reviews

Achy Obejas, Chicago Tribune
The movie in its extended version is frequently muddled, emotionally messy, a little heavy-handed and misses the real opportunity presented by the new format.
Michael Booth, Denver Post
Charming if amateurish farce of a movie.
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic
By the film's end, we're more beleaguered than enlightened.
John McMurtrie, San Francisco Chronicle
The tone is often that of a preachy after-school special, down to the instructional messages that regularly flash across the screen.
Bruce Newman, San Jose Mercury News
Arau has expanded his satirical short from 1998 into one joke that he solemnly beats to death for 100 minutes.
Gary Dowell, Dallas Morning News
An ambitious, hit-and-miss social satire that doesn't score as many direct hits as it should. But it lands enough punches to get its point across.
Jorge Avila Andrade, Moviola
'Tiene la honestidad de ser una divertida y, por momentos compleja, denuncia de los maltratos y desprecio a los que son sometidos nuestros compatriotas en el extranjero'
Brian Thomas, Now Playing Magazine
The situation's inherent comedy and drama are played for all its worth by a more than competent ensemble cast...
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
For the first hour director Arau ... and his co-writer and wife, actress Arizmendi, negotiate the story's tricky mix of comedy, social satire and science fiction with surprising aplomb.
Marta Barber, Miami Herald
As many times you consider A Day Without a Mexican a crude and underdeveloped parody, there are moments that it vindicates itself with on-the-money situations.
Steve Rhodes, Internet Reviews
A cheap-looking, one-joke movie that can't get any laughs even in its first telling.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
A promising premise without a successful follow-through...vacillates between preachy tract and bland comedy.

Read all 12 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Megan S

I know I've seen this movie but it was pretty forgettable.
James A

Like a Saturday Night Live skit that plays for 2 hours. I'm glad that Sergio Arau shows how if Mexicans were to dissapear all the low level jobs would have to be done by white people. Thatnks for setting back any progress Mexican Americans have made with your unfunny movie.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]"A Day without a Mexican" is a film about a mysterious fog enveloping the state of California. Then, the entire Hispanic population disappears without a trace. Needless to say, this causes quite the disruption on the personal, economic and cultural… More
[font=Century Gothic]"A Day without a Mexican" is a film about a mysterious fog enveloping the state of California. Then, the entire Hispanic population disappears without a trace. Needless to say, this causes quite the disruption on the personal, economic and cultural levels. Even the border patrol agents are hurt.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"A Day without a Mexican" is not bad and well-intentioned with some good points on identity and racism. It raises the question about whether or not somebody can truly be illegal. But pedestrian writing and amateurish acting pretty much lower the whole enterprise to the level of a public service announcement. [/font]
Joseph E

Starts out funny, and then just stays rather boring...
Sarah P

This movie is really cheesy and looked like something from 1984 rather than 2004 but it does start a good conversation about immigration and makes you think!
nathometer

This movie was disappoiting. It had a low production value and all the characters were just gross characterizations. The acting was not all that good. They could have done more with the movie, but instead they went for the cheesy.