When everything seems to be crashing down around you, you hold on to that one reason to get back up again. Like the lyrics of Bon Jovi’s song “Have a Nice Day” say, “When the world gets in my face, I say, have a nice day,” the Mexican comedy-drama by Yibran Asuad presents the story of a legendary retired radio host Enrique Guerrero (Alvaro Guerrero), who is broke and yet wants to make it to the Universal Music Station anniversary celebration to meet the love of his life, the illustrious Irma Pimentel “La Bomba.” Both have been the voices of Mexican rock and roll radio for a very long time. But it has been 20 years since Enrique Guerrero, aka Quique, last met Irma.
When the invitation to the celebration reaches Enrique, he decides to start earning money so he can make it to the anniversary. Thus, he starts by looking for a job at Abasolo Corner Superstore. His fame and his attitude, mingled with his technique and ideology to earn money, shape the rest of the plot, accompanied by background or ambient sound effects and music. You are never lost, but give in to Enrique’s narrative and root for him throughout. Enrique fails, and you are ready to forgive him. Enrique wins, and you are ready to share in his victory.
Why Do Enrique Guerrero And Irma Pimentel ‘La Bomba’ Separate?
Enrique and Irma were the voices that made Mexican rock and roll famous at Universal Music Station, Mexico. For Enrique, Irma was the most fantastic human being in the universe, and she was the love of his life. Although both of them sang together and rose in popularity, Irma started to receive extra attention. Enrique did not like it and was affected by it. He couldn’t handle the limelight Irma was receiving; therefore, he quit the job. Quitting the job meant staying far from Irma and not interfering in her successful life. Therefore, 20 years passed, and Enrique made Rioverde his home. Enrique separated from Irma because of his bloated ego; otherwise, they would have been a wonderful couple rebelliously singing rock and roll. His desire to hold on to the fame he received and his inability to accept Irma’s success and attention brought about his downfall or curtailed his growth. Enrique separated from Irma owing to his rigid attitude.
Are Enrique’s Plans To Make Money And Visit Universal Music Station Successful?
When Enrique is invited to his ex-employer’s anniversary party, he sketches a plan to earn money so that he can visit the place with his old fame and glamour. He applies for a job at Abasolo Corner Superstore, and the lovely owner, knowing that he is the legend whom he used to listen to once upon a time, offers him a job as a ‘grocery bag man’ at the cash counter. Picho (Eduardo Minett) explains to Enrique the task of a ‘grocery bag man’ when the grocery comes at the counter, i.e., to already start organizing the grocery as it arrives, dairy with dairy, fruits with fruits, and cans with cans. Enrique observes the chemistry between Picho and Amanda (Andrea Chaparro) at the cash counter and slowly tries to separate them, aggravating Picho. Enrique and Picho get off on the wrong foot.
Enrique, looking to make extra money, thinks of various ways to do so and therefore needs Picho’s help. He convinces Picho to help him transport the trash cardboard piling up at the store in exchange for lessons on romance and life. From cardboard, he wants to move to transport scrap steel that’s been lying in the corner for years together. Picho, on the other side, feels that he is losing Amanda as he sees her with Filet Mignon. Picho feels lonely and abandoned and considers it the end of the world for him. He gives up on life, but Enrique gives him hope, standing by him as a caring father would. He makes enough money from the tips he receives through public relations and by selling cardboard and steel. And consequently, after convincing Amanda and Picho by faking a hernia operation, he travels to Mexico City. Hence, fulfilling Amanda’s wish to go to Mexico City, where the coolest bands play, and satisfying Picho, who wanted desperately to go on a vacation, basically to move out of Rioverde. After having reached Mexico, they are all by themselves, and Enrique leaves invitations for Amanda and Picho for the anniversary celebrations. When they attend the celebration, they come to know that Irma is no more, and the celebration commemorates the pillar of the industry. The movie ends with Amanda staying back in Mexico City and living up to her promise, with Enrique dying a happy death, and with Picho returning back to Rioverde to live a happy and contented life, knowing that everything ultimately comes to an end.
‘Have A Nice Day’ Ending Explained – Does Desperate Enrique Reunite With ‘La Bomba,’ His Love?
Enrique’s love for Irma Pimentel “La Bomba” is vintage; though old, it never goes out of style. Enrique innocently gathers the money so that he can revisit the music station to meet the love of his life and revisit the place with the same fame, stature, and dignity with which he had left it. Enrique has grown old, and with old age come all the sicknesses. Nevertheless, he hasn’t lost his rebellious attitude. He is all the more passionate about rock and roll music. He is focused on making money and thinks of varied ways to earn it. At first, as a grocery bag-man, he, with his sweet talk, gains tips. He later works with Picho to transport the trash cardboard collected from the store and sell it. And when he sees the steel piling up, he marvels at it and thinks of it as gold that can fetch him still more money.
Enrique has realized that everything must come to an end. If one is famous, it will be for a certain time, and the fame, too, will come to an end. At one point, he thinks of himself as trash that nobody cares about and whose price keeps changing, giving Picho an example of a supermarket where they keep changing the price of commodities like avocado, lemon, and marmalade.
In Picho, Enrique finds his youth and vigor. He collaborates and associates with Picho to get his job done, helping Picho by giving him relationship advice while his own romance is incomplete. Enrique fails to unite Amanda and Picho because love can’t be built systematically; it transpires organically. Enrique perhaps understood this, but only very late in his life. Therefore, he desired to meet Irma. He desired to meet her and reveal to her how much he still loved her and respected her choices. Thus, making ends meet even by guilelessly shoplifting and other tactics, he gathers the money. He tells lies and convinces Amanda and Picho to join him in Mexico.
In Mexico, Enrique is reminded of his time with Irma and the passion with which both of them sang together. But when he arrives for the anniversary celebration, he is shocked by the news of Irma’s death. His long-time desire to meet Irma in person is shattered at that moment. He gets emotional on stage and blurts out that rock and roll music will never die, meaning to say that the love between Enrique and Irma is forever. Enrique doesn’t meet Irma, but he sure realizes his mistake of not staying back and supporting his love. He realizes that although everything ends, love doesn’t, and if it’s genuine, it only grows stronger day by day, like his love, which grew stronger and more vibrant despite the distance, time, and space. His love for Irma made him think creatively and relive his life with a purpose.
“Have a Nice Day” is a heartfelt movie that lets you surrender your moral code and allow the good intention behind the lesser evil to take its course repeatedly.
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