CONNIE AND CARLA
Year: 2004
USA: Universal Studios
UK: UIP (UK)
Cast: Nia Vardalos, Toni Collette, David Duchovny, Stephen Spinella, Dash Mihok, Alec Mapa, Debbie Reynolds, Christopher Logan, Robert Kaiser, Ian Gomez, Nick Sandow, Robert John Burke, Boris McGiver, Don Ackerman, Veena Sood, Babs Chula, Linda Darlow, Charles Payne, Michael Roberds, Guy Fauchon, Gary Jones, Fiona Hogan, Ryf Van Rij, Adam Harrington, D Neil Mark, Krista Rae, Brittney Wilson, Danielle Woodman, Kristi Angus, Douglas Baird, Nicola Crosbie, Fred Keating, Bart Anderson, June B Wilde, Paddy Ma, Jay Williams, Todd Oberg, Kristina Copeland, Chelah Horsdal, Carl McDonald, Elaine Kliner, Douglas McLeod, Stephen Cottrill, Lloyd Nicholson, Gordon Roberts
Director: Michael Lembeck
Country: USA
USA & UK: 98 mins
USA Rated: PG-13 for thematic elements, sexual humor and drug references
UK Certificate: 12A contains drug references
USA Release Date: 16 April 2004
UK Release Date: 11 June 2004
Synopsis
Connie (Nia Vardalos) and Carla (Toni Collette) are two small-town girls whose dreams of stardom have taken them nowhere.
From their debut in a school cafeteria to their current gig slinging drinks and belting out tunes at a Midwestern airport lounge, the singing and dancing duo simply refuse to let the less-than-enthusiastic crowd response dampen their show biz drive. For Connie and Carla, everything's coming up roses, naysaying boyfriends and snoring audience members notwithstanding.
The girls lose one of their few supporters when their boss Frank ends up on the wrong end of a criminal deal-a scene they unfortunately happen to witness. Quicker than a fast change in the second act, Connie and Carla pack up their battered dreams and extensive assortment of wigs and costumes and hit the road, running for their lives.
Convinced the killers will never look for them in a place utterly devoid of culture (a.k.a. dinner theater), the pair ends up in the Land of Dreamers, Los Angeles. In a new place with new identities, they create a cover (with a lot of cover-up) that makes them the toast of the town-headlining in a local drag club, they soon find the acclaim that has always eluded them, singing the show tunes they've always loved. Being famous is their dream come true, who cares if it includes a tiny little lie? But trying to keep their secret turns out to be a real drag, especially when Connie meets Jeff (David Duchovny), a real nice guy she'd really like to be a real girl with.
CONNIE AND CARLA is the comedy that proves if you follow your dream, there's no telling what you'll become.
Nia Vardalos, the Oscar®-nominated writer and star of MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, the highest grossing romantic comedy and independent film of all time and the fifth highest grossing film of 2002, follows up that smash hit with the new comedy CONNIE AND CARLA, again in double roles as both screenwriter and star (as well as executive-producing). Starring alongside Vardalos is Academy Award® and Tony nominee Toni Collette (ABOUT A BOY, THE SIXTH SENSE), both of whom are joined by a multifaceted cast that includes Stephen Spinella (Tony winner for Broadway's ANGELS IN AMERICA), Dash Mihok (BAZ LUHRMANN'S WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S ROMEO + JULIET), Alec Mapa (Broadway's M. Butterfly) and David Duchovny (EVOLUTION, THE X-FILES).