Spanglish (2004)

John Clasky (Adam Sandler) is a devoted dad whose skills as a chef have afforded his family (T a Leoni Cloris Leachman) a very upscale life including a summer home in Malibu and a breathtaking new housekeeper Flor (Paz Vega) who has recently immigrated to L.A. from Mexico and is trying to find a better life for her remarkable daughter Cristina (Shelbie Bruce) who is rapidly embracing the American way of life. When Flor and Cristina move in with the Claskys for the summer Flor has to fight for her daughter's soul as she discovers that life in a new country is perilous...especially when you're being embraced by an affluent eccentric American family!System Requirements:Running Time: 131 Min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG-13 UPC: 043396048522 Manufacturer No: 04852 Product Description

Suprised and loved it

This is a very good movie...I bought it and still watch it every now and then. The little girl narrating the film is amazing...and this is supposedly her first film. Paz Vega is a force of nature in her beauty and grace...no one in American film compares to her. Leoni plays a character that you just have to hate, but she pulls it off in a way that allows you to pity her at times. No one suffers like Adam Sandler....suprisingly well played by him. This is a funny and dramatic study of the culture collide. October 10, 2008

Don't let the name mislead you

James L. Brooks intended to do a comedy here but instead ended up with a human drama about family relations and culture clash. And yes, some situations are funny. Watch it, most probably you will like it too. October 2, 2008

Gibberish

To describe this film as a "chick flick" is to offend chicks everywhere. While it is clearly aimed at the adult, female, box of tissues, slumber party set - I cherish the notion that these individuals are far too smart and with it to be taken in by such twaddle. With the exception of Adam Sandler, (who couldn't act his age, much less act in a movie), the cast is excellent - so what's the problem? Primarily it's that Spanglish never settles in on an approach, a pitch, a point of view. At times it attempts, and misses, comedy. At other moments it seems to want to be taken seriously as social commentary, which is laughable. It comes closest to finding its heart in the relationship between mother and daughter, but frequently these scenes are glib and manipulative. In a case like this, the blame must be laid at the director's feet, and the author of the abominable screenplay.

These characters are not drawn; they're cut out of paper. Deborah, in particular, played brilliantly by Tea Leoni, is so shrill and extreme that she quickly becomes a caricature, severely undermining the picture's chances of success. John, played by Sandler, is certainly the most low key chef in the universe, he is so passive and uninteresting that one wonders how he could make milk toast, much less gourmet meals. Cloris Leachman is brilliant as always - but it's never a good sign when a minor character threatens to walk away with a movie. Compounding these egregious flaws, Spanglish is yet another SoCal film where folks in the picture biz examine their own neighborhoods and lifestyle - are these guys really so lazy - or narcissistic - that they won't leave the state? An excellent performance by Sarah Steeles helps, as does an absolute star turn by Shelbie Bruce, but not enough to make sense of this hodgepodge.

What saves Spanglish from the dustbin of cinema is an Oscar-caliber performance by the enchanting Paz Vega, who first won me over in 10 Items or Less. Vega does more with reaction takes and other forms of non-verbal communication than all the other actors put together. Besides being crazy beautiful, she has that ability to express a broad range of emotions easily, casually. I'm told that when they made this film Vega did not even speak English, and learned her lines phonetically. If true, her achievement is even more remarkable. As a showcase for Paz Vega, Spanglish is worth your time; she is nothing short of brilliant. Beyond that, it's just another grab bag of shopworn SoCal clichés, two-dimensional stereotypes, and cheesy attempts to tug on your heartstrings without earning the right. August 26, 2008

one of adam sandler's best. awesome movie.

i don't care if you normally only watch typical adam sandler movies. i don't care if you don't normally watch more serious films. this film is fantastic. it's practically more about Paz Vega's character than adam sandler's. it's about family, parenting. it's got a perfect blend of humor & seriousness. must buy for how cheap it is. June 27, 2008

Humor,Drama,Emotional Turmoil,Loved It!

I think this film works on all these levels. Some really wonderful insights into mother/daughter relationships,and I was interested in all three of them portrayed here.I also liked the underlying story of the Mexican mother and daughter who emigrate to America and their adjustment. For others interested in this type of storyline,(as I am,and the main reason I checked this film out)I would recommend "Almost A Woman".

This is a very sweet movie,with some very funny parts,and also some serious issues,in one neat package.
June 24, 2008

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