Only Human (2004)

72% of critics liked it
(53 reviews)
76% of users liked it
(1,116 ratings)

A mismatched couple discovers that whatever can go wrong will go wrong during a family visit in this comedy. Leni (Marian Aguilera) is a television reporter from a Jewish family in Spain. One weekend, Leni drops by her family's home for a visit, with her new boyfriend, college professor Rafi… More A mismatched couple discovers that whatever can go wrong will go wrong during a family visit in this comedy. Leni (Marian Aguilera) is a television reporter from a Jewish family in Spain. One weekend, Leni drops by her family's home for a visit, with her new boyfriend, college professor Rafi (Guillermo Toledo), in tow. Rafi is more than a bit nervous about meeting Leni's family -- chronically nervous mother Gloria (Norma Aleandro), blustery father Ernesto (Mario Martin), dance-student sister Tania (María Botto), straight-laced bother David (Fernando Ramallo), and addled grandfather Dudu (Max Berliner). But Leni quickly makes matters worse when she announces to her family, who are waiting for Ernesto to return from work, that Rafi just happens to be Palestinian. Matters become a bit tense after that, and while joking with Leni with a block of frozen soup in the kitchen, Rafi accidentally drops the package out the window -- hitting a man on the head who might be Ernesto. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 29 min.
Directed By: Dominic Harari, Teresa Pelegri
Written By: Dominic Harari, Teresa Pelegri
Genres: Television, Romance, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Jun 16, 2006 Limited
On DVD: Oct 17, 2006
Studio: Magnolia Pictures

Critic Reviews

Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Writer-directors Dominic Harari and Teresa Pelegri have penned an amusing script and, as directors, inject a delicate human texture into the story's intermixing of capricious zaniness, frank sensuality and Mideast politics.
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
A smart and dark comedy from Spain, Only Human manages to say cogent things about the nature of intolerance and love while being fitfully hilarious.
Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle
A familiar situation of a beloved daughter bringing her intended home to meet the folks is pushed to sublimely silly extremes.
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
A Spanish comedy that isn't quite as frenzied or farcical as its husband-and-wife writer-director team clearly intended it to be.
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star
It lets frantic get so far ahead of funny, the latter gets lost in the dust.
Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times
Mines the comic possibilities of the classic setup of introducing the fiancé to the family, with results that are playful, charming and surprisingly thoughtful.
Christopher Campbell, Cinematical
More than just a spotlight on wacky family members and screwball situations ... a simple statement about some absurd perspectives on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Kam Williams, Upstage Magazine
A rare, optimistic ray of hope about the prospects of Jewish-Muslim relations.
James Plath, Movie Metropolis
This culture-clash, dysfunctional family comedy has a smart script, energetic performances, and more tongue in cheek than a cow eating steroids.
David Cornelius, DVDTalk.com
The laughs more than make up for the familiarity.
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
... well-intentioned and charming, a deliberately downsized film that despite its high concept finds humor in the domestic more often than the political.
Jack Garner, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
A fresh and funny Spanish take on the classic family screwball comedy.
Laura Kelly, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Only Human (Seres Queridos), generally speaking, doesn't work.
Jordan Hiller, Bangitout.com
While the comedy is at times sharp but mainly chaotic in that frenzied European style, it seems the filmmakers actually intended to make a statement about Jews, Arabs, and the possibility that love can out maneuver politics and overcome unimaginable histo
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central
The only lesson it has to impart is that a gifted, charismatic cast can elevate the most tired material into something closer to mediocrity.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
The secret to Only Human's appeal is that the silliness is performed matter of factly, so it becomes a new, cracked definition of normal.
Sean Axmaker, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The irreverent comedy of family feuds, impulsive leaps of (il)logic, and temporary amnesia is more screwball eccentricity than social satire.
Ted Fry, Seattle Times
There's a political and social clash at its core, but the laughter comes from a deeper, human place (see title).
Shawn Levy, Oregonian
Offers passing amusements, for sure, but the gap between its brilliant potential and its final execution is frustrating.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
Amiable, and occasionally even insightful, but also sometimes just silly and at others a trifle tasteless...a mixed bag that, unhappily, doesn't deliver quite enough.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Cynthia S

A good portion of this movie was just wacky fun! It is chock full of unusual situations, and funny characters. But then it tends to go overboard on the "crazy and funny" family situations...too the point of stupid, not funny. HOWEVER, the movie as a whole is definitely worth… More
A good portion of this movie was just wacky fun! It is chock full of unusual situations, and funny characters. But then it tends to go overboard on the "crazy and funny" family situations...too the point of stupid, not funny. HOWEVER, the movie as a whole is definitely worth checking out. There are some hysterical situations that I will remember for some time.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]In "Only Human", Leni(Marian Aguilera), a television personality, and Rafi(Guillermo Toledo), a university professor, are madly in love with each other. One problem though: she is Jewish, he is Palestinian. Rafi is already nervous from having received… More
[font=Century Gothic]In "Only Human", Leni(Marian Aguilera), a television personality, and Rafi(Guillermo Toledo), a university professor, are madly in love with each other. One problem though: she is Jewish, he is Palestinian. Rafi is already nervous from having received a complimentary proctology exam earlier in the day from airline security. Now, he is about to meet her extended family who share an apartment. Leni's sister, Tania(Maria Botto), is a promiscuous belly dancer and has a six-year old daughter, Paula(Alba Molinero). At the other end of the spectrum, there is brother David(Fernando Ramallo) whose latest fad is Orthodox Judaism and a wounded pet duck. Her grandfather, Dudu(Max Berliner), is blind and owns a loaded rifle. [/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]In an attempt to ingratiate himself with his hosts, Rafi offers to help Leni's mother(Norma Aleandro) with preparing dinner. His defrosting of the frozen soup goes badly awry, when he accidentally drops it out of the window...[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Only Human" is a funny romp of a farce about family with serious overtones.(Like the entire Arab-Israeli conflict for example. Plus, the notion of identity amongst immigrants.) And even though the movie is a farce, the characters still come off as very believable.[/font]
Leo L

This is a great movie. Absolutely hilarious! Fantastic story plot. Good cast. Definitely worthy.

Cast

Norma Aleandro
as Gloria
Guillermo Toledo
as Rafi
Maria Botto
as Tania

Marian Aguilera
as Leni
Fernando Ramallo
as David
Alba Molinero
as Paula

See full cast

Only Human (2004)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Cynthia S

Walter M

Leo L

Cast

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