Papita, Maní y Tostón, also known as Peanuts and Crackerjacks, is a Venezuelan movie that I had the pleasure to watch with my friends and family at the cinema, something that is actually quite rare as I mostly go with my daughter and wife alone, but this time even my friend's families came. The cinema was full to the brim, everyone was excited to watch this movie... The audience laughed and had a great time, some were even dressed in the uniforms of their favorite regional baseball team, it was a really unique experience.
Whenever I review a movie, I mostly do it from a critical and objective perspective, however, this time it will be a little different. I didn't choose this film because it's objectively the best my country has to offer, but because it truly represents Venezuela and it brings joy to every Venezuelan that watches it, it makes us smile and that's something we desperately need.
The Plot
Papita, Maní, Tostón or Peanuts and Crackerjacks is 2013 Venezuelan romantic comedy film written and directed by Luis Carlos Hueck.
This film follows the romance between two young adults that are massive fans of the two biggest rivals in Venezuelan baseball history, Leones del Caracas (the best team) and Navegantes de Magallanes. To make this relationship even more complicated, she is from a rich family while he is from a poor one, this being the perfect foundation for a Romeo and Juliet type of story.
As a fun fact, the title of this movie is related to something the vendors in the baseball stadium yell when selling snacks.
A Venezuelan Experience
I can only describe this film as Venezuelan comedy, the jokes are very related to our lifestyle, like for example, not having enough water to shower, being very close to your grandparents, having a really outdated vehicle that you frequently take to your mechanic almost every month but still won't work properly and the really close friends that often go to your house to have some beers and play dominoes.
The baseball aspect relies on the Venezuelan fanatism with this sport, the matches and rivalry getting us riled up as if we were soccer fans watching a match of Barcelona against Real Madrid. Baseball is truly this country's signature sport.
What makes Peanuts and Crackerjacks so funny is how relatable it is, the characters talk just like us, make jokes similar to those we would make and even the settings are extremely familiar. It feels just like home and I know the whole cinema could feel it as well, perhaps that's why it became so popular it even got a second movie.
This film was very popular when it came out, becoming the highest-grossing film in the history of Venezuelan cinema. Everyone wanted to watch it, especially those who were baseball fans.
A Love Letter to Venezuelans
I like to describe this film as a love letter to Venezuelans, making emphasis on how we always laugh no matter how hard our circumstances, we make jokes out of our hardships and try to keep smiling and move on. It might not have the best script, as it is focused on making jokes and the story is quite cliched, even going so far as to push plot conveniences.
Although this is definitely not the best Venezuelan film, it's the one that better represents us at its core.
This country is in such a bad place yet we still have each other, making fun of every situation and counting on our friends and family to make us laugh. I really recommend this movie during quarantine, as it makes us laugh and distracts us from the hardships we are currently facing. It feels a lot like hanging out with your friends with a couple of beers.
I truly hope the best for the future of Venezuela and I hope we can remain together, still making the same old jokes and riling up at the same baseball games, just as when we were young and carefree.
This is an entry for League of Movies (HIVE WRITING CONTEST): Fourth Edition | Week 02 - "Roots" sponsored by
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