Anyone looking for a fix of teen comedy and 1980s nostalgia should slap eyes on cowriter/director Michael Walker’s The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo, a throwback coming-of-age story where a high school junior, hopelessly crushing on a hunky exchange student from Spain, must watch as he hooks up with everyone but her – gah!
Julie (Anna Mirodin) is stressed out after being told the female exchange student from Spain she’s supposed to house isn’t coming after all, and her replacement will be Juan Jose (Alexandro Byrd), who, with his great hair, big eyes, cute accent, and sexually forward ways, has Julie smitten. Problem is she’s not alone, and try as she might, she can’t get Juan Jose to look her way. What to do?
What follows is more sweet than raunchy as The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo takes the point of view of a young girl clearly in the grips of her hormones, but uncomfortably so. Julie, with the help of best friend Suzanne (Hannah Kepple), tries to loosen up, look a bit older, and be a bit more forward, all to no avail. Much of the fun lies in watching Julie fumble around outside her comfort zone, but the script, written by Walker and Susan Gomes, also draws a lot on the culture clash between American teens and their Spanish counterparts. This well runs dry about halfway through the movie’s runtime, after which, thankfully, Walker commits to Julie’s journey.
“…makes you laugh and makes you thankful you’re not in high school anymore…”
It means The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo doesn’t hit the dizzying number of laughs per minute that coming-of-age classics like Superbad or Booksmart boast, but it does still feature some great one-liners and gags. With the disarming sweetness of Julie’s tenderfooted exploration of sex and love providing the movie its heart, it consistently draws a chuckle, if not a guffaw.
The script, coupled with Annie Simeone’s great production design, brings the 1980s to life with full force, featuring perms, hangouts at the mall, acid-washed jeans, Tab cola, and mixtapes (actual tapes!) With limited means, Walker makes the illusion real and the immersion deep. Some of the regrettable elements of the 80s, like homophobia, also make an appearance, and Walker doesn’t engage with this beyond simply including it, making you wonder if it’s meant to play for laughs or as an attempt at authenticity.
A lighthearted addition to the teen comedy genre that holds its own, The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo makes you laugh and makes you thankful you’re not in high school anymore. That’s a comforting combo.
"…A lighthearted addition to the teen comedy genre"
