Leni takes Rafi to meet her family in Madrid. Leni's family is Jewish - mother, father, older sister and daughter, brother, and grandfather. Rafi is Palestinian, in Spain since age 12. Before her father returns from work, Leni reveals Rafi's origins. He accidentally drops a block of frozen soup out the flat window, probably killing a passerby. Leni initiates a cover-up and Rafi figures out the body is probably Leni's father. The body disappears and without telling the rest of the family what they know, Leni and Rafi organize a search for dad. Mom is sure he's having an affair. Leni's belly-dancing sister kisses Rafi. Her brother grabs a rifle to shoot the Arab. Can anything be put right?
A Spanish comedy that isn't quite as frenzied or farcical as its husband-and-wife writer-director team clearly intended it to be.
– Steven Rea,
Philadelphia Inquirer,
21 Jul 2006
fresh:
A familiar situation of a beloved daughter bringing her intended home to meet the folks is pushed to sublimely silly extremes.
– Ruthe Stein,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Jul 2006
fresh:
There's a political and social clash at its core, but the laughter comes from a deeper, human place (see title).
– Ted Fry,
Seattle Times,
4 Aug 2006
fresh:
A smart and dark comedy from Spain, Only Human manages to say cogent things about the nature of intolerance and love while being fitfully hilarious.
– Colin Covert,
Minneapolis Star Tribune,
10 Aug 2006
fresh:
Writer-directors Dominic Harari and Teresa Pelegri have penned an amusing script and, as directors, inject a delicate human texture into the story's intermixing of capricious zaniness, frank sensuality and Mideast politics.