One of my favorite questions to ask anyone is the following: “If you could store one memory in a bottle to revisit over again, what would it be?” My choice revolves around the first time I stepped into Walt Disney World’s beloved second theme park, EPCOT. From the sparkling lights on the ground, to the awkward animatronics on the Ellen DeGeneres ride, there’s not one thing I would change about that adventure. So much so, that if I could spend all the money in the world to return said park back to its former sci-fi optimistic glory, I’d do it in a heartbeat. So to say I found myself living out my own silly fantasies while watching Arthur Bradford’s new documentary, ¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor! is the understatement of the century.
Known as “the Disneyland of Mexican restaurants,” Casa Bonita has become a Denver icon famous for its pink exterior, delightfully campy aesthetics, and memorably unmemorable food. It remains a product only the 1970s could produce, and still holds a special place in the hearts of loyal fans, including South Park co-creator Trey Parker. In the documentary’s first act, Parker and (fellow South Park co-creator) Matt Stone revisit the restaurant in 2012, reminiscing about their love for it, and fantasizing about owning the wacky joint someday. Ten years later, they not only would find themselves co-owning Casa Bonita, but also playing a key role in its evolving legacy, a journey Bradford’s film captures in humorous and whimsical detail.
From the moment the vintage Casa Bonita commercial begins to play, you can immediately feel the love that Bradford, Stone, and Parker have for this iconic establishment. It’s a place that (while nowhere close to glamorous) is the definition of “enchanting Americana” in every sense of the phrase. Sure, the original incarnation of Casa Bonita might not have been the most authentic representation of the country that inspired it, but much like EPCOT, or any movie where Elvis goes on an international adventure, that’s half the charm of it. And it’s that flaws-and-all admiration that everyone involved has for Casa Bonita that makes the doc such a beautiful tribute to nostalgia.
Not only does Bradford give you an understanding of the significance Casa Bonita has for the Denver community, but you also get a grasp of how the restaurant feels like a rite of passage for its generations of customers. Whether you went to celebrate your birthday or just to see the iconic cliff divers perform, Casa Bonita is more than just a silly place to eat some questionable Mexican food, it feels like a home away from home. Even from the viewpoint of an animated fictional character such as South Park’s Cartman, Bradford sells the mindset that Casa Bonita is an essential part of Denver’s culture.
A still from the documentary ¡CASA BONITA MI AMOR!. Photo courtesy of MTV Documentary Films.
Yet, with every nostalgic comfort comes the painful sting of reality, and Casa Bonita Mi Amor! doesn’t shy away from the nightmarish challenges the team went through in reviving the beloved establishment. From rusting pipes that could collapse at any moment to electrical setups posing risks to the restaurant’s performers, Bradford explores these alarming issues with almost Hitchcockian detail. It’s these moments, coupled with the mounting deadlines and the eventual $40 million dollar price tag for the restoration, that make ¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor! feel sometimes more like an economic horror film than a tribute to childhood bliss.
Thankfully, Bradford balances these moments of tension with just the right amount of Parker and Stone’s signature brand of humor. For example, when Parker takes Stone for a Facetime tour around the restaurant, every spot that could be an issue is worse than they thought. But as the costs and concerns begin to rise, the two laugh harder and harder to make their troubles go down a bit easier. It’s a detail that not only adds a likable quality to the pair, but makes them come across much more human and relatable than most pop culture icons do in similar projects.
Similarly, it’s wonderful to get to know the other players involved in the project outside of Parker and Stone. And while many members make memorable cameos, easily the greatest addition to the team, and to the legacy of Casa Bonita, is Chef Dana “Loca” Rodriguez. A master of blunt zingers and a creator of absolutely breathtaking cuisine, Rodriguez leaves a bold impression from her introduction to her last frame on screen, proving that she was the perfect person to not only work with the chaotic South Park pair, but the missing ingredient to Casa Bonita’s evolution to becoming more than just a silly restaurant.
Yet, despite all the praise I have for ¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor!, one flaw stands out. As a themed-entertainment nerd, I watch documentaries like this to learn all the behind-the-scenes details I can’t discover via a Wikipedia page. And while it’s lovely that Bradford acknowledges the original creators and includes some conversations with former staff, it feels like more could have been explored. What was the origin of the costumed characters? How did they land Ricardo Montalban for a commercial? All these bits of lore deserve to be highlighted so the story of Casa Bonita feels as vibrant as the pink tower at its entrance.
Nerdy nitpicks aside, there’s no denying that ¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor! works in wonderfully documenting the struggle and the love behind this wacky restoration. Yet, even better, it speaks to the bittersweet nature of making a nostalgic childhood fantasy a reality. Because while it might be worth it for all parties involved financially, there’s a degree to which seeing the magic behind the curtain takes a bit of the pixie dust away from your own nostalgia. And though I haven’t had anything ruined like that in regards to my own beloved memories I mentioned in the introduction, there’s always the fear I’ll have to pay such a price as the decades go on.
In select theaters beginning September 6th, 2024 and expanding each week.
Available on Paramount+ Fall 2024.
Final Score: 4 out of 5.
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Categories: In Theaters, Reviews, streaming
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