Connie and Carla (2004)

Director: Michael Lembeck Starring: Toni Collette, Nia Vardalos, David Duchovny Genres: Comedy, US Premier, Gay Interest, Music Origin: USA Certificate: PG Running Time: 94 min

synopsis

Reminiscent of Some Like It Hot, Victor Victoria and Tootsie, Connie and Carla is a musical comedy in drag written by and co-starring Nia Vardalos of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Best friends since their school days, Connie (Vardalos) and Carla (Toni Collette) are airport lounge singers with dreams of someday making it big on the cabaret circuit. Past their prime and going nowhere in their hometown of Chicago, their break comes when they accidentally witness a mob murder, flee to L.A., and disguise themselves in drag. They dazzle the drag community with their singing talent and their suspiciously authentic feminine figures. Soon they become one of the hottest nightclub shows around with a larger-than-life secret upon which their fame depends. Their struggle to keep their secret becomes even more difficult when Connie meets Jeff (David Duchovny), the straight brother of one of her drag friends (Stephen Spinella), and begins to fall in love. A complicated affair ensues with Jeff believing he is falling for a man in drag and Connie struggling to keep her true identity hidden in a series of wacky mix-ups and close calls. Vardalos and Collette sing and dance in a variety of campy numbers, featuring classic show tunes from Evita, Cabaret, and Gypsy.