Denver natives Trey Parker and Matt Stone, best known for their work on “South Park,” recently unveiled their new documentary, ¡CASA BONITA MI AMOR!, at the Tribeca Festival. The film chronicles their ambitious and often grueling renovation of Casa Bonita, a beloved Mexican restaurant and local landmark in Lakewood, Colorado.
Casa Bonita, which opened in 1974, is famous for its sprawling, theme-park-like environment, complete with cliff diving shows, secret rooms, and roaming characters. Despite its iconic status, the restaurant fell into disrepair and closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Driven by childhood nostalgia and a desire to revitalize the restaurant for their own children and the community, Parker and Stone purchased Casa Bonita. They embarked on what they hoped would be a quick renovation, originally budgeted at $6 million. However, they soon faced a host of unexpected challenges that pushed costs to over $40 million. The building’s floors, walls, and ceilings were in poor condition, the electrical systems were outdated and hazardous, and the plumbing was a significant issue. Additionally, a falcon had been using the roof as a feeding ground for decades, leaving pigeon carcasses scattered around.
The documentary, directed by Arthur Bradford, captures the duo navigating these obstacles. Parker is often seen walking through the construction site in disbelief, sharing the disheartening progress with Stone via text messages. Despite the mounting difficulties and the spiraling budget, Parker and Stone remained dedicated to the project, even turning down other lucrative opportunities to focus on the restaurant.
A year ago, Casa Bonita reopened for preview audiences, revealing a stunning transformation. Parker contributed by writing the script for the puppet show and the dialogues for two talking skeletons. However, Stone noted during a Tribeca Festival discussion with Andy Cohen that some elements, like the animatronic fortune-telling macaw, still needed adjustments.
The restaurant is set to welcome the general public later this year. Reflecting on their journey, Parker humorously recounted how friends questioned their decision. “Friends were like, ‘What the f–k are you guys doing?’” he said. “’We’re opening a Mexican restaurant. Yeah. We’ve got this Mexican restaurant.’ We were turning a lot of cool stuff down.”
Despite considering the idea of expanding Casa Bonita into a chain, Parker and Stone decided against it. “We’ve talked about it, but we still haven’t got this one right, and we don’t have an extra $40 million lying around,” Stone remarked. “Sometimes magic is magic.”
The documentary also delves into the impact Casa Bonita had on their lives, even inspiring a memorable episode of “South Park” in Season Seven. The episode features Cartman’s desperate antics to attend a birthday party at the restaurant.
During their Tribeca Festival appearance, Parker and Stone also discussed their work on “South Park” and their near-EGOT status. They have multiple Emmys, Tony Awards, and Grammys, but missed out on an Oscar when their song “Blame Canada” lost to Phil Collins’ “You’ll Be In My Heart” from “Tarzan.”
Despite their numerous accolades, Parker and Stone remain committed to their creative endeavors. Their latest project, ¡CASA BONITA MI AMOR!, produced by MTV Documentary Films, will soon be available on Paramount+.
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