Parents' Guide to Tell Me When

This Mexican comedy with some dramatic elements might not leave a lasting impression, but it's easy to digest, offers some laughs, and provides a lovely vision of Mexico City. Tell Me When also provides some insight into how immigrant families straddle two countries and cultures. The highlights of the film involve Mexican American Will exploring Mexico City. He's fulfilling his grandpa's bucket list for him, and the vision is one of a contemporary, trendy, and cultured metropolis. The film would have grown into something bigger had it offered more of these scenes, more description of the significance of the places on the list, and more exploration of what the city and his roots there meant for Will.

Local audiences will love the cameos and the insider humor. But despite some fun characters, especially meddling gay best friend Beto (played by Gabriel Nuncio) and Grandma's equally meddling friends, the love story between Will and Dani isn't developed enough to justify his disappointment or explain her attraction. Other ideas are also left half-baked, like a news report about Hispanic unemployment in the US or why Will is so socially awkward yet professionally successful. What is touching is his close-knit family, the love his grandparents show him by pointing out the hard reality of all that he's missing out on in life, and the open-ended finale that suggests positive friendships are as valuable as romance.