Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

Puerto Ricans in Paris Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 26, 2016

Puerto Ricans in Paris is one of those mid-grade movies that just sort of exists, neither standing apart and earning the adulation of critics and moviegoers nor stumbling so low as to garner any real attention for its failures. No, it's a decidedly average movie, a forgettable time killer that's modestly enjoyable while it lasts but hardly memorable a day later. It's not great, it's not awful. Couldn't that be said of so many movies?. Director Ian Edelman's directorial debut is fine in every facet. He's a competent storyteller, even if the script, written by himself and Co-Writer Neel Shah, doesn't exactly challenge him as a filmmaker. It's point-and-shoot simple, for the most part, and the story pretty much works itself out amidst bursts of acceptable, but rather low-pass, Comedy routines. In other words, it's not a bad debut effort for Edelman. It's just so... middling.

Puerto Ricans...in Paris.

NYPD undercover cops, and brothers-in-law, Luis (Luis Guzmán) and Eddie (Edgar Garcia) are pretty good at what they do: hunting down criminals who are selling fake goods in the city. Their reputation apparently reaches far and wide, because a couple of Parisian cops -- Colette (Alice Taglioni) and Vincent (Frédéric Anscombre) -- arrive with an offer the officers cannot refuse: $150,000 each to travel to Paris and track down a prototype handbag that must be recovered before forgers get a hold of it and diminish its value before it hits the street. Another twist: Colette is the handbag company's founder. Her suspects: her designer, her publicist, a former friend, and an ex-husband. It could be any one of them, she believes, and the clock is ticking for both Colette and for Luis and Eddie who are hoping that a big payday can help them straighten out their lives back in New York.

Ethnicity doesn't really play a serious, deciding factor in the movie. That the protagonists are Puerto Rican New York cops working a case in Paris only really matters, it seems, to give the movie a catchy title. It's a buddy character movie, not a heritage movie. Some of the jokes hit on that Puerto Rican angle, but they're hardly necessary to the plot or to the majority quotient of gags. The humor is rather flat, but baseline effective. Guzman is good enough as he "interrogates" the suspects, dressing up like a wealthy Saudi or a Texas cowboy. He puts plenty of energy into the part, as do his co-stars, working hard to pull as many laughs as he can from a fairly pedestrian script. He does share solid camaraderie with co-star Edgar Garcia. In fact, it's more their banter, their back-and-forth exchanges on life, love, and everything in between that makes the movie as enjoyable an experience as it is. The core plot is less interesting and the situational humor less dynamic. The film shines brightest when Guzman and Garcia share the screen. It's a bit more murky and unkempt when they're apart.

As for the actual plot, it's terribly straightforward and unimaginative, more an excuse to generate humor than anything vital in terms of dramatic relevance. The movie works well enough in that bubble of throwaway humor and entertainment, whether in scenes featuring the guys on the case in Paris or working on their home lives in the movie's first act. The dramatic angles -- their views on life and love which are somewhat skewed at first but mostly straightened by the trip to Paris -- deal in generic commitment issues for Luis and marital stability problems for Eddie. Neither challenges the characters, but it does allow another avenue of humor and a direction for the movie to go as things are resolved at the end. The "who stole the bag" story isn't worth much, either. The script never pushes beyond some kind of crude team-up Pink Panther story, just without as much charm or honest laughs. This is a workmanlike Comedy, refusing to really stretch but offering just enough innocent -- and mildly charming, thanks to the leads -- entertainment to make the movie a worthwhile one-time watch.

Puerto Ricans in Paris Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Puerto Ricans in Paris features a rock-solid 1080p transfer. Sourced from a digital shoot, the image is clean but never excessively glossy or flat. Details are very well defined, particularly nitty-gritty city details but also more near-camera elements like clothing and skin textures, both of which aren't quite so fine as to really stand apart but certainly complex enough to satisfy. Colors are likewise strong. The New York opening act favors a more neutral palette with plenty of punchy, attractive, but natural colors, while the Paris acts push towards an obvious golden/bronze look. Black levels -- mostly important during nighttime Parisian exteriors -- hold deep and accurate. Flesh tones are fine within the film's filtering. Very light noise is evident, but never at all distracting. No other serious issues crop up. On the whole, this is a fine transfer from Universal.

Puerto Ricans in Paris Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Puerto Ricans in Paris arrives on Blu-ray with a nice enough DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The track bursts to life in the opening moments with a rush of city ambient effects that do a nice, immersive job of placing the listener in, and defining, the environment. Small little support details appear throughout, usually with well positioned and accurate detail. Music pushes wide with strong clarity and attention to detail, but it's only a few club scenes where the surrounds really kick into high gear with a more obvious and forceful engagement and the subwoofer becomes fully active. Dialogue delivery is fine, enjoying natural center placement, lifelike clarity and volume, and effortless prioritization.

Puerto Ricans in Paris Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Puerto Ricans in Paris contains no supplemental content. A UV/iTunes digital copy code is included with purchase.

Puerto Ricans in Paris Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Puerto Ricans in Paris isn't anything special, but it's a serviceable little flick with good lead performances that stretch a mediocre script as far as is seemingly possible. Most of the jokes hit on some level, thanks only, really, to Guzman and Garcia. The main plot is dull, but works well enough as a vehicle to allow the cast to display its talent. Universal's featureless Blu-ray is supported by good video and audio. Worth a watch.