FOOLS RUSH IN

US, 1997,109 minutes, Colour.
Matthew Perry, Salma Hayek, Jon Tenney, Jill Clayburgh, Tomas Milian.
Directed by Andy Tennant.

Fools rush in… Where angels fear to tread. Well, not quite.

This is a very light comedy capitalising on the popularity of Salma Hayek 1990s as well as the popularity of Matthew Perry on Friends. He plays a businessman who has a one night stand in Las Vegas. Salma Hayek portrays the young woman who then finds that she is pregnant and wants to track down the father. Which she does.

There is some comedy in the contrast between the rather straight WASP culture, embodied by Perry. And the huge family culture of the Hispanics in the United States. Of course, there are crises, but love wins out at the end.

The film was directed by Andy Tennant who directed such films as Anna and the King, Hitch, Sweet Home, Alabama.


1. The title? Expectations? Romantic comedy, nineties style? The Hispanic aspect?

2. Las Vegas, homes, the nightclubs, the hotels, the desert? Nevada and the canyons? The Hoover dam? Mexico, landscapes, the village? New York City? The musical score, the songs?

3. The popularity of the stars in the 1990s?

4. Alex, from New York, his job in Las Vegas, building, the casino, his friendships, john, his situation in Las Vegas?

5. Isabelle, her family, large, interactions with them, her job?

6. The encounter, the mix-up, talk, the sexual night, her leaving early morning? No address?

7. Alex, continuing his life, her return, the news, Alex going out but staying with Isabelle, his reaction, the issue of the abortion and his expectations, a
decision to keep the child, the effect on him, his being touched? The Hoover dam?

8. The visit to Isabelle’s family, the tough father, authoritarian and the mother, her religiosity, the brothers and being tough, the fiancé and the past relationship, everybody shouting, the food, the impact on Alex?

9. Alex, his life, its meaning, the decision to marry, the honeymoon at the hotel, going to work, the visit from Isabelle’s father, his anger?

10. The collage of their life, happy scenes, the redecoration of the house?

11. Isabelle and her friend, discussions, the dinner and Katie overhearing?

12. The work on the club, Isabelle invited, the dates?

13. The job, the failures, success, the boss and his invitation for Alex to go to New York? The New York issue between Alex and Isabelle, her life and friends and family in Nevada it? His not telling her the plan? Her discovery?

14. His parents, arrival, the comic touch, thinking Isabelle was the maid and their reactions accordingly, the mother drinking? The meeting of the two fathers on the boat? Racial issues? Tension?

15. Alex and Isabelle and the fight, her going to hospital, saying she had lost the baby, the divorce papers?

16. Alex, the return to New York, his successful work, the issue of signs and Isabelle believing in them, changing her mind? Alex not believe in signs, the priest and his word on the street, the Hispanic child and the other signs?

17. The family, the mother church, the candles? The brothers and their taking Alex shooting, the snake, their firing, his falling in the cactus?

18. His decision to go to visit Isabelle’s grandmother, Isabelle’s description, the grandmother welcoming him, the return, going to Hoover Dam, the rain, the meeting, giving birth? The effect on each of them?

19. And happy ever after?