?Fuera de Carta? (2008)
Directed by Nacho G. Velila
Written by Oriol Capel, Antonio Sanchez and David Olivas

MANILA, Philippines - Nacho G. Velila is no Wong Kar-Wai, Ang Lee or Pedro Almodóvar. ?Fuera de Carta? does not boast of a compelling narrative, breathtaking cinematography, or haunting score. On second thought, the chief strength of ?Fuera? may exactly be its simplicity.

?Fuera? is a light domestic comedy about Maxi (Javier Cámara), a gay chef whose life gets complicated by the unexpected appearance of his children (whose mother has just died) from a marriage he wishes he never had, and of a new neighbor who is a charming TV host and ex-football player from Argentina.

Suddenly, Maxi has to manage three things at the same time: two kids (Edu and Alba) whom he never really loved (or perhaps never had the chance to love); a lover (Horacio) who is a closet case; and his restaurant (Xantarella) that is barely surviving.

It so happens that his son Edu (Junio Valverde) is a homophobe. His daughter Alba (Alejandra Lorenzo) asks too many questions and cannot sleep without a bedtime story, which Maxi is not too eager to read to her after a long day?s work at Xantarella.

His best friend and maitre d? Alexandra (Lola Dueñas) is obsessed with his boyfriend and does not know about the relationship or Horacio?s sexuality. At some point, Maxi must choose between his family and his dream of a Michelin star.

As expected, a happy ending is in order: Maxi finally becomes a better father and builds a happy family with the supportive and handsome Horacio. The ending is, indeed, ideal.

One has to think hard how a plump, balding and bitchy gay man can have his cake and eat it, too! How can a meek ex-football player fall for such a high-strung, domineering and feisty character? But why not? Every gay man must have his gay ending, the film proclaims.

One of the film?s strengths is its fabulous cast. Javier Cámara holds the film together with his earnest and energetic performance as Maxi, the reluctant gay father. He is at his best when he whips his subordinates and his homophobic son with his sarcastic lines.

Lola Dueñas is also outstanding as Alex, especially in the scenes where she is trying to seduce the repulsed and dumbstruck Horacio. Her videoke number is hilarious.

Benjamin Vicuña is a joy to watch as the sweet and placid Horacio, an eye candy through and through.

Fernando Tejero has his moments as Ramiro, the psychedelic kitchen staff junkie and occasional nanny teaching the kids bad habits. Junio Valverde shows promise as the rebellious Edu.

What is commendable about the film is its wit. The irony and humor so typical of Spanish films are here. Maxi?s confrontation with his son in the principal?s office is a joy to watch, reminiscent of Harvey Fierstein?s ?Torch Song Trilogy? (with Harvey?s character in feathery slippers and Maxi in a pink shirt).

The scenes involving Maxi?s parents are outrageous, most notably when they spew homophobic remarks about their son and comment on their 40 years of torturous marriage. One of the funniest scenes involves the old lady catching her son and grandson in a warm embrace and imputing malice on what she sees (given her bigotry).

The father-daughter bedtime story scenes are memorable, especially since Maxi-pestered by a very inquisitive and sophist daughter-cannot help giving a gay reading of fairy tales like ?The Ugly Duckling.?

The film?s division into sequences?marked by the voice-over of Alba and a painting akin to an illustration from a children?s book?is also quite commendable, for it sets the mood and thematic focus of the film and it likewise tightens the plot.

Over and above the film?s funny lines and excellent cast, the politics is the added ingredient that gives ?Fuera? its delicious bite. The film has addressed quite sensitively the issues haunting a gay parent. How Edu comes to terms with his father?s homosexuality and forgives him for abandoning him is handled with enough sensitivity.

The pairing of Maxi with Horacio seems odd at first but it works. Thank God, the love story is not about two celestial creatures drawn to each other?s beauty. It?s about two ordinary and imperfect men finding true love.

Maxi is undeniably flawed, belligerent and sharp-tongued, but he is endearingly so. To chef Maxi, food and sex share an inviolable kinship. Food fulfills our fantasies-it forces us to confront and challenge the tyranny of routine, the ennui of the ordinary.

Horacio?s coming out on national television is expected but still a welcome gesture, especially in a world teeming with closeted actors and athletes. Asked why he has fallen for Maxi, Horacio replies: ?The way to a man?s heart is through his stomach.?

In Maxi?s world and ours, it is possible to build a good family with two men as parents; it is possible to be loved for who we are and what we do best. For all these, ?Fuera de Carta??simple and modest?is a feast worth our time.

Ronald Baytan is a poet and critic. ?The Queen Sings the Blues,? published by Anvil, is his first poetry book.