Fugly!
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Fugly!
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Fugly! is an edgy dark comedy starring John Leguizamo as a character a bit like him -- a Latino stand-up comedian-turned-character actor. Scenes of the main character's "blue" stand-up routines explicitly reference his sex life, his lower-income upbringing, and showbiz, as well as an overriding plot point about his desire to kill himself. Strong language ("f--k," "s--t," "a--hole," etc.) dominates the dialogue, and sex scenes are frequent, although they show more thrusting and moaning than actual nudity. The humor is rather adult, so the movie is best for older viewers who are already fans of Leguizamo.
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What's the Story?
Jesse Sanchez (John Leguizamo) grew up funny but FUGLY! in the Bronx, with his sense of humor leading to a steady career as a D-list Latino actor playing drug dealers, thieves, and gangsters. Despite his nominal success, Jesse tells his Internet followers that he's going to kill himself because of a series of failures that includes everything from an adulterous wife (Rosie Perez) to a cliched career playing ugly stereotypes. The only thing that might make his life worth living is the unconditional love of a good woman -- namely, his old college sweetheart, Lara (Radha Mitchell). Will she return his affections before it's too late?
Is It Any Good?
Leguizamo is a talented comedic actor, and while he's admirably trying to explore how difficult it is to be a minority in Hollywood, this painfully uneven comedy isn't going to help the cause. It's true that Hispanic actors are underrepresented on screen, but the lack of big laughs in this tale of personal and professional foibles makes the film difficult to recommend to anyone who isn't already a die-hard fan of Leguizamo, who's best known for his supporting roles in movies like Chef, Romeo + Juliet, Carlito's Way, and the voice cast of the Ice Age franchise.
Parts of Fugly! seem to mimic Annie Hall -- a neurotic New York comedian falls for a quirky, WASPy woman while navigating a showbiz career -- but the movie relies so heavily on sex (in an early scene, young Jesse walks in on his father having sex with a mistress, and the dad equates a woman's orgasm with a powerful sneeze, causing the boy to fetishize women's sneezes) and Latino cliches that it's more a collection of raunchy references than a brilliant Manhattan romantic comedy.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Fugly!'s argument that Latino actors are pigeonholed as criminals like drug dealers and gangsters. Do you think this is true? How are stereotypes perpetrated in the media?
Does the movie make you wonder how much of it is autobiographical?
What do you think of the movie's treatment of suicide?
Movie Details
- In theaters: November 7, 2014
- On DVD or streaming: January 13, 2015
- Cast: John Leguizamo, Radha Mitchell, Rosie Perez
- Director: Alfredo De Villa
- Studio: 108 Media
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters
- Run time: 94 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 26, 2022
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