Casual Critic Mini Reviews

Spanglish (USA) (Columbia) (2004) ****Year: 2004iMDB

Director: James L. Brooks Cast: Adam Sandler, Tea Leoni, Paz Vega, Cloris Leachman, Shelbie Bruce, Sarah Steele

Flor (Vega) is an illegal Mexican immigrant that settles in Los Angels with her little girl Cristina (Bruce) and, without learning English, manages to get a job as housekeeper in a wealthy American family. Deborah (Leoni) is the shallow housewife, frustrated by the fact that her daughter Bernice (Steele) doesn't live up to her beauty expectations having a few extra pounds, and is delighted to virtually adopt and spoil Cristina instead. Flor, on the other hand, is the virtuous single mother, who would sacrifice anything for her daughter, but who doesn't want her "corrupted" by the rich and empty way of life.

However, Spanglish manages to raise above being a simple succession of stereotypes about culture mix and class clash both by avoiding some of the most cliched story options, and through some very good acting performances. Adam Sandler steps away one more time from his usual goofball comedic roles and is quite believable as John, the successful chef and restaurant owner, who is however, wary of the emptiness that success and fame brings thus managing to relate to Flor's hesitations and waryness of Deborah's newfound interest in her daughter. Cristina is very believable as the teenage girl who strongly loves her heritage, but is also excited to embrace the new life that she discovers by living with Deborah's family. Sarah Steele gives a good subtle performance as Deborah's daughter Bernice, but the star of the movie is undoubtedly Cloris Leachman as Evelyn, Deborah's mother. Evelyn is a "golden girl" ex-successful singer who hides from the present with help from the wine bottle and re-tells the stories of her glory days to her grandchildren, but keeps her spirit alert and manages to be after all, the most sensible character.

Spanglish can be a little overbearing in stating the life lessons that it preaches (and, let's be honest, Cristina's college application letter, in the form of an epic novel, must be one of the worst ever) but it is genuine and funny, re-affirming James L. Brook's talent as a screenwriter and director after his similarly witty As Good as It Gets.