Powerful

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

It's hard to say this exceeded expectations because I didn't know what to expect, but I was drawn to it on the strength of Mario Moreno. I was curious to see what the film did with his person and with his fame. It's a beautifully crafted story, and intertwining it with Todd's "hustling" to get "Around the World in 80 Days" to happen helps to bring out how Mr. Moreno's fame had gone beyond Mexico to where he was the figure who brought the production to the screen for Todd. Moreno's rise from obscurity to international fame is told in a finely crafted way. Oscar Jaenada is nothing less than brilliant as Mario Moreno the person, and Mario Moreno as the character of "Cantinflas." The entire cast is very well put together. The film has no weak spots. I grew up watching Cantinflas movies. This film does not disappoint - and it's no small feat. Trying to paint a screen portrait of Mario Moreno as other than a sequential narrative is a big undertaking. The story, the cinematography, the acting - all of a very high caliber.

As much as I love learning about the history of Hollywood, there can be something pretentious about the Hollywood biopic. The story of a great creative mind taking Hollywood by storm is one that's been told too many times and easily falls into repetition. Aside from that, there's always the sneaking suspicion that the screenwriter or director is co-opting his subject's story to wrestle with his own greatness. "Catinflas" intrigued me enough at the start that I decided to throw caution to the wind hoping the plot wouldn't veer into cliché. I enjoyed seeing the trial and error process over how Catinflas discovered his true calling, I thought the setting was unique (especially the unforgiving Mexican stage where heckling is the norm) and the actor who played Catinflas had a magnetic working-man kind of presence. The decision to intercut the story of Mario "Catinflas" Morelli's ascension to fame over the years and the trials and tribulation "Around the World in 80 Days" producer Michael Todd to get his film made, also had potential except for the fact Michael Todd seemed like a rather flat character (not to take anything away from Imperioli's performance), and while I enjoyed "Around the World in 80 Days" as a kid, I'm not sure if there's anything to celebrate in Todd's methodology of putting every actor he could find in the film.The storyline itself is one I've seen a hundred times before, so the film was largely on the shoulders of Oscar Jaenada and to the degree he could, Jaenada did an extraordinary job. If only he had slightly better material to work with.

What can I say? I loved this movie. Very inspiring story! Great actors, great director, great everything. Cantinflas is a great example of the underdog that succeeds with hard work, positive thinking and creativity. I've recommended this movie to everyone I know and 99% of the feedback is positive! Go see it, you won't regret it.Also I think that Cantinflas is a great example of a human being that enjoys living his life. A lot of people have trouble enjoying life because they are so focused on accomplishing goals. Mario Moreno's story is a must learn lesson for all of us who live in the future and forget about the present. This guy enjoys the road to success even though the road sometimes get super-bumpy.

Encapsulating and portraying the life and talent of Mario Moreno "Cantiflas" on the big screen is indeed a challenge that probably most producers would like to avoid. Nonetheless, knowing full well the challenges ahead of them, the director and producers of the film managed to put together a compelling story that resonates with moviegoers of today. Cantiflas is simply the story of a poor and humble Mexican in the early 1930's when mostly talent, inheritance and luck were the only ways out of poverty. The story is told in such a way that those unfamiliar with Cantiflas can quickly recognize and appreciate the breadth and depth of the golden age of Mexican cinema and one of its most shinning stars, Mario Moreno.It is obvious that the lead actor, Óscar Jaenada spent a considerable amount of time watching Cantinflas movies to be able to imitate his voice and mannerism. He does a decent job portraying one of most intricate comedians of all time, which in itself is a very arduous task.Undoubtedly, the film pays tribute to the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema of the 1940's and 1950's, with all its splendor and flair. Hopefully, it would serve as an inspiration for a new generation of filmmakers to appreciate the rich legacy given to them.