Year: 2007
Runtime: 95 mins
Language: Spanish
Director: José Enrique Pintor
Genaro works in a shop in a Dominican neighbourhood, while his mother dreams of becoming a “Sanky Panky” – marrying an American tourist to move to USA. He gets a job at a Bávaro resort to meet a tourist and meets Martha, a guest dealing with a broken engagement. With Chelo and Carlitos he pursues her, but their plan fails when her boyfriend appears.
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Genaro is a charming yet ordinary Dominican man from the working-class neighborhood of El Capotillo in Santo Domingo, where he works at a small colmado—a local store and bar—and struggles to make a living. He nurtures the American dream of traveling to the United States to start a new life with an older American woman. His friend Carlitos humorously defines the type of woman Genaro is after:
“loose, cellulite, boobs, navel, boobs, white as milk.”
After visiting his old friend Miguelito in La Romana with Chelo, Genaro is shocked by the drastic change in Miguelito’s life—a mansion and a luxurious lifestyle gained through a whirlwind romance with an older American woman. This spark leads Genaro to chase the same path. He reconnects with his childhood friend Giuseppe, an “aplatanado” Italian who now runs one of the Caribbean’s largest hotel chains. Giuseppe arranges a part-time job for Genaro: dressing up as a chicken to entertain the children of hotel guests.
While the job is far from glamorous, it becomes Genaro’s first step toward the dream. He catches the attention of Martha, a young American woman who, seeking a break from a troubled relationship, decides to spend a week in the Dominican Republic with her two aunts, Helen and Dorothy.
To win Martha’s heart, Genaro enlists the help of his two friends, Chelo and Carlitos, who have transformed the colmado into a makeshift nightclub despite Genaro’s strict ban on music whenever he’s around. As Chelo and Carlitos entertain the aunts, they work to satisfy their wild sexual fantasies, while Genaro concentrates on seducing Martha.
The drama escalates when Martha’s boyfriend, Alex, arrives unexpectedly, triggering a series of complications. In the ensuing chaos, Alex mistakes Giuseppe for Genaro, adding another layer of confusion.
In the end, Martha decides to leave, and Carlitos and Chelo accompany the aunts back to the United States. Genaro remains behind with La Joven, a local Dominican woman who has become a steady source of support, and to whom he has confided his troubles.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:11
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Lighthearted comedies about charming hustlers chasing love and opportunity in sunny tourist destinations.If you enjoyed the charming scheming and romantic pursuits in Sanky Panky, you'll find more movies like it here. These lighthearted comedies feature characters hustling for love or a dream in idyllic tourist resorts, full of playful antics and cultural fish-out-of-water humor.
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