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Connie and Carla

8/10

Stars: Nia Vardalos, Toni Collette, David Duchovny, Stephen Spinella

Director: Michael Lembeck

C and C (Vardalos and Collette) are a failed nightclub duo singing in airport lounges for a living. In a premise reminiscent of Sister Act and Nuns on the Run, the girls witness the shooting of their boss - and go on the run from the killer.

Instead of hiding out as nuns, however, they flee to LA, disguise themselves as drag queens and become the top attraction at a local gay club, drawing the crowds and turning the place into the city's first dinner theatre.

This is a joyous film with a script (by Vardalos) that sparkles on and off (but mostly on), and the girls sing amazingly well together. It is, indeed, almost a musical, and would be if it cut to a soulful ballad when the girls get the blues over Vardalos' attraction to 'unavailable' straight guy Duchovny.

Collette looks more convincing as a drag queen than her co-star and gives the more nuanced performance. Like Vardalos, the film's a bit rough and ready, but, also like her, gets by on lovability and even just about gets away with a guest appearance by Debbie Reynolds in the big finale.

You'll like this: it has heart and it's fun.

David Quinlan

USA 2004. UK Distributor: UIP (Universal). Colour by De Luxe.
98 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 12A.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 1.

Review date: 12 Dec 2006