This movie is great. After reading some of the other reviews on this page I felt compelled to write one, a fair one of my own, since the others were obviously biased in some way or another. First off, the movie is a little cheesy, that guy is way too muscular and mature looking to be a 14 yr. olds love interest, looks like he belongs in some r rated b movie. But you have to remember that this movie was made in 1989. Yup, 1989, if you don't remember what it was like back then, then just watch the movie because its pretty accurate, right down to the bad ass wannabe, he even looks like one of the little tough guy wannabes from my 7th grade class. Whats funny is he looked like he was in his twenties too, I guess it has something to do about peaking way too young. Anyway the point is that minus a bit of cheesiness the movie is very accurate, I even got a couple flashbacks of my own. Those of you that said that there was no plot either got your heads in your pants or are just trying to knock a good movie. Because the story is very well written and acted. Its well written because its obviously about the quinceanera of Martha who does a great job acting by the way, and how she must prove that she is now a woman, as said by the priest in one of the earlier scenes. Its not really obvious from the beginning but way she does that is by helping her dad out behind his own back and although this is predictable it is still done very well. Over all, its a great family movie, definitely better than any recent stupid cartoon kid/family movies that are all about violence and subtle and not so subtle sexual references(wallace and grommit, chicken little,etc),compared to them this movie looks like an Oscar contender. I cant say this enough, Great Movie, any one than says otherwise didn't really get the movie and just didn't really understand the depthness and genuineness of the movie. on a side note most of this cast had already made or went on to make other great Mexican/American movies, like stand and deliver, blood in blood out, and American me.