The ones you hold closest always have your back, even if it’s a bumpy ride along the way. Cooler heads don’t immediately prevail in A Little Family Drama, a whirlwind family reunion that sees traditions upended and loved ones struggling to navigate key aspects of their lives. Infused with fascinating cultural aspects that define the lives of a Mexican American family and biting humor, Nadia Zoe’s feature film is one of 2024’s sleeper indie hits.
For those looking in from the outside, the Sepulveda family is living their best life as multigenerational restaurant owners catering to authentic Mexican cuisine. Since 1963, the establishment known as Casa Calderon has stayed under their management. Now run by the ambitious Matias (Ramon O. Torres) with support from Abuela Anselma (Alma Martinez), the business is rapidly degrading behind everyone’s back. Matias’ recent food truck venture has only exacerbated problems, and the passing of Sepulveda patriarch Abuelo threatens to bring it all to light. Anselma’s conflict with her daughter Victoria (Romi Dias) and the entanglement of Matias’s sister Cecilia (Diana Torres) underscores the Sepulvedas’ numerous underlying issues, which they must confront directly to maintain their unity.
A Little Family Drama revolves around a group of individuals who deeply love and care for each other. The pressure is on Matias to set his pride aside in favor of a resolution, but the screenplay (Nadia Zoe and Ramon O. Torres) presents all sorts of variables to keep him on the edge of that decision. It’s a pressure cooker of a film that teeters on the edge with its wild exchanges between the Sepulvedas. Building up to the big feast, it takes its time before it releases everyone’s pent-up discontent and insecurities.
The cast is terrific across the board in portraying this dynamic, from Martinez’s sternly conservative Anselma, to Diana Torres’ bubbly Cecilia. Casa Calderon serves as the flagship of the Sepulveda heritage, creating a poignant contrast between the lives of the different newer generations. The film perfectly combines this compelling divide with a healthy dose of comedy. You’ll likely walk away with a new appreciation for pozole and the wonders it works when mixed with medicinal mushrooms. Quirky to a fault, the film mines copious amounts of laughs from every interaction that sees the Sepulveda’s clash about their heritage and whacky food on the dinner menu. The jokes push the envelope but never overstep into outright absurdity, as they keep the characters grounded in reality.
Bursting at the seams with memorable moments and relatable themes, A Little Family Drama is a painfully realistic yet humorous deconstruction of culture and familial bonds.
