''Connie and Carla'' is a 2004 American

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending ( black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by Michael Lembeck and starring Nia Vardalos,

Toni Collette Toni Collette Galafassi (born Toni Collett; 1 November 1972) is an Australian actress, producer, singer, and songwriter. Known for her work in television and independent films, she has received various accolades throughout her career, inclu ...

, and

David Duchovny David William Duchovny ( ; born ) is an American actor, writer, producer, director, novelist, and singer-songwriter. He is known for portraying FBI agent Fox Mulder on the television series ''The X-Files'' (1993–2002, 2016-2018) and as write ...

. The screenplay was written by Vardalos. The film was shot in

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. ...

and featured a number of local drag queens including Joan-E, Justine Tyme, Carlotta Gurl, Summer Clearance, Devana Demille, Seemore Illusion and Helena Handbag.

Plot

Connie and Carla are two performers whose lifelong friendship and co-obsession with musical theater have brought nothing, but career dead ends. Despite this, they continue their optimism, hosting a variety act at an

airport lounge An airport lounge is a facility operated at many airports. Airport lounges offer, for selected passengers, comforts beyond those afforded in the airport terminal itself, such as more comfortable seating, quieter environments, and often better acce ...

. After accidentally witnessing a mafia hit in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

, they go on the run, landing in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

. After being fired from a beauty salon, they pose as drag queens and audition to host a drag revue at a

gay club A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT) clientele; the term ''gay'' is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBT communities. Gay bars once served ...

called "The Handlebar." Because they sing their own songs (a rarity for queens), they are hired, and their variety show (at first titled ''What a Drag (Pun Intended!)'' then later re-titled ''Connie and Carla and the Belles of the Balls'' after they add a few friends to the act) becomes a hit. Things are going smoothly but they make a pact not to let men interfere with their life. This causes conflict when Connie falls for Jeff, the straight brother of Robert, one of their drag queen friends. As the show gets bigger, they convince the club owner, Stanley, to convert it into a full dinner theater, and eventually their popularity threatens to expose them. On the official opening night of the dinner theater, the mob killers catch up with them. With the help of their drag queen friends, and to great applause from the audience (who think it is part of their act), Connie and Carla take them down. They ultimately confess their real identities to the audience and are accepted for who they are. Connie reveals herself to Jeff, who arrives after the chaos. He accepts her and becomes her boyfriend.

Cast

* Nia Vardalos as Connie *

as Carla *

as Jeff *

Stephen Spinella Stephen Spinella (born October 11, 1956) is an American stage, television, and film actor. Early life Spinella was born in Naples, Italy, to a father who was an American naval airplane mechanic. He grew up in Glendale, Arizona, and graduated fr ...

as Robert / Peaches *

Alec Mapa Alejandro "Alec" Mapa (; born July 10, 1965) is an American actor, comedian and writer. He got his first professional break when he was cast to replace B. D. Wong for the role of Song Liling in the Broadway production of ''M. Butterfly''. He gaine ...

as Lee / N'Cream * Christopher Logan as Brian / Patty Melt * Robert Kaiser as Paul *

Ian Gomez Ian Braque Gomez (born December 27, 1964) is an American actor known for his comedic TV work, which include series-regular roles as Javier on '' Felicity'' and Andy on ''Cougar Town''. Early life He was born in New York City, New York, to an art ...

as Stanley, the club owner * Robert John Burke as Rudy, the sadistic crime boss *

Boris McGiver Boris McGiver (born January 23, 1962) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in projects such as '' Lincoln'', '' House of Cards'', ''The Wire'', ''Killing Kennedy'', and ''Person of Interest''. Personal life Of Irish and Ukraini ...

as Tibor, Rudy's gullible henchman * Nick Sandow as Al, Connie's on-again-off-again-right-now-off boyfriend * Dash Mihok as Mikey, Carla's boyfriend * Chelah Horsdal as the Botoxed Friend *

Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer, and businesswoman. Her career spanned almost 70 years. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her portra ...

as herself * Greg Grunberg as Studio tour guide * Veena Sood as Mrs. Morse

Musicals referenced or featured

The following is a list of

musicals Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

referenced or featured in the film (in the order of which they are presented in the film):

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

and

were mentioned several times before Reynolds herself appeared and performed with Connie and Carla. * '' Oklahoma!'' – Connie and Carla perform " Oklahoma!" as young girls in their school lunchroom and in the airport lounge and "

I Cain't Say No "I Cain't Say No" is a song from the 1943 musical play '' Oklahoma!'' written by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II, initially performed by Celeste Holm Celeste Holm (April 29, 1917 – July 15, 2012) was an ...

" during their audition at "The Handlebar," the gay club where they eventually become successful. * ''

Jesus Christ Superstar ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely based on the Gospels' accounts of the Passion, the work interprets the psychology of Jesus and other characters, with ...

'' – Connie and Carla perform " Superstar" in the airport lounge and "Everything's Alright" during their first performance at The Handlebar. * '' Yentl'' – Connie and Carla perform " Papa, Can You Hear Me?" in the airport lounge. * ''

Cats The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members o ...

'' – Connie and Carla perform "

Memory Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remember ...

" in the airport lounge. * '' The Rocky Horror Show'' – Peaches 'n' Creme perform " The Time Warp" at The Handlebar. * ''

Cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dinin ...

'' – Connie and Carla perform "Maybe This Time" at their audition at The Handlebar. * '' Evita'' – Connie and Carla perform " Don't Cry for Me Argentina" at their audition at The Handlebar. * '' Mame'' – Interludes during the picture with the character Tibor seeing several performances of ''Mame'' at different venues across the country. * ''

South Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

'' – " I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair", is part of Connie and Carla's performance in ''What a Drag (Pun Intended!)'' at The Handlebar. They also sing " There Is Nothing Like a Dame" at the end of the film with the rest of the main cast. * '' Funny Girl'' – Connie and Carla sing "

Don't Rain on My Parade "Don't Rain on My Parade" is a popular song from the 1964 musical '' Funny Girl''. It was also featured in the 1968 movie version of the musical. The song was written by Bob Merrill and Jule Styne. Both the movie and stage versions feature Barbra ...

", part of their performance in ''What a Drag (Pun Intended!)'' at The Handlebar. * ''

Thoroughly Modern Millie ''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' is a 1967 American musical- romantic comedy film directed by George Roy Hill and starring Julie Andrews. The screenplay, by Richard Morris based on the 1956 British musical ''Chrysanthemum'', follows a naïve yo ...

'', '' The Producers'', ''

Say Goodnight, Gracie ''Say Goodnight, Gracie'' is a one-man play by Rupert Holmes. Adapted from the reminiscences of George Burns, the multimedia presentation traces the comedian-raconteur's life from his childhood on the Lower East Side of Manhattan to his early ...

'', '' Never Gonna Dance'', '' Gypsy'', ''

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

'', ''

Mamma Mia! Mama(s) or Mamma or Momma may refer to: Roles *Mother, a female parent *Mama-san, in Japan and East Asia, a woman in a position of authority *Mamas, a name for female associates of the Hells Angels Places * Mama, Russia, an urban-type settlemen ...

'', '' Long Days Journey into Night'', '' "Master Harold"...and the Boys'', ''

Avenue Q ''Avenue Q'' is a musical comedy featuring puppets and human actors with music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and book by Jeff Whitty. It won Best Musical, Book, and Score at the 2004 Tony Awards. The show's format is a parody of ...

'', ''

Man of La Mancha ''Man of La Mancha'' is a 1965 musical with a book by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh, and lyrics by Joe Darion. It is adapted from Wasserman's non-musical 1959 teleplay '' I, Don Quixote'', which was in turn inspired by Miguel de Cerva ...

'', and '' Hairspray'' – Billboards for these shows are shown. * ''Gypsy'', ''

Rent Rent may refer to: Economics *Renting, an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property *Economic rent, any payment in excess of the cost of production *Rent-seeking, attempting to increase one's share of e ...

'', and ''Hairspray'' – At this point in the film, these are mentioned by Tibor, ''Hairspray'', of which, he got a matinée ticket, though no songs from the shows are sung. The theater productions of ''

'', '' Hairspray'', and ''

'' became semi-successful movie musicals shortly after this film. * '' Gypsy'' – " Let Me Entertain You" is performed by Connie, Carla, and the Belles of the Balls. * ''

Hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and fi ...

'' – Connie says the guys should enter from the back of the house on "

Good Morning Starshine "Good Morning Starshine" is a pop song from the musical ''Hair'' (1967). It was a No. 3 hit in the United States in July 1969 and a No. 6 hit in the United Kingdom in October 1969 for the singer Oliver. The chorus makes extensive use of appare ...

". * ''

The Music Man ''The Music Man'' is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments ...

'' – Debbie Reynolds says they should enter from the back of the house on " Seventy-Six Trombones". * '' Grease'' – Debbie Reynolds, Connie, Carla, and the Belles of the Balls sing "There Are Worse Things I Could Do". * '' A Chorus Line'' – Connie and Carla sing "What I Did for Love". * ''

Guys and Dolls ''Guys and Dolls'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on " The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" (1933) and "Blood Pressure", which are two short stories by Damon Runyon, and also b ...

'' – Connie mentions "the ''Guys and Dolls'' tribute."

Reception

Box office

The film had a budget of $27 million, and grossed $8,085,771 domestically, and $3,255,245 in foreign release, making $11,341,016 worldwide. The film grossed $3,254,940 during its opening weekend, opening at number 13 in the 4/16-18 weekend box office.''Connie and Carla''Box Office Mojo

website A website (also written as a web site) is a collection of web pages and related content that is identified by a common domain name and published on at least one web server. Examples of notable websites are Google, Facebook, Amazon, and W ...

The film has been released on DVD and incorrectly has the runtime at 1 hour, 48 minutes.

Critical response

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...

gives the film a 44% critic score based on reviews from 122 critics. The site's consensus states: "The two female leads, as well as energitic musical numbers, enliven an otherwise silly reworking of Billy Wilder's ''Some Like It Hot''."

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Connie And Carla 2000s buddy comedy films 2000s crime comedy films 2000s female buddy films 2000s English-language films 2004 comedy films 2004 films 2004 LGBT-related films American buddy comedy films American crime comedy films American female buddy films American LGBT-related films Cross-dressing in American films Drag (clothing)-related films Fictional couples Films directed by Michael Lembeck Films produced by Roger Birnbaum Films produced by Tom Hanks Films scored by Randy Edelman Films set in Los Angeles Films shot in Chicago Films shot in Los Angeles Films shot in Vancouver Films with screenplays by Nia Vardalos LGBT-related buddy comedy films Mafia comedy films Spyglass Entertainment films Transgender-related films Universal Pictures films 2000s American films