Spanglish (2004) User Reviews (389)

Spanglish... A Film That Speaks an International/Universal Language!

[Tony-Kiss-Castillo · 7/10 · 11 January 2022]

There is most certainly something in Spanglish for every member of your family! The cast is fabulous. Spaniard Paz Vega appears quite natural and convincing as Mexican Flor Moreno. Adam Sandler shows definite versatility as both a dramatic and comedic actor. Tea Leoni, here almost outshines everyone in her role of a rather endearing but neurotic American housewife. And the young, Shelbie Bruce, playing the role of Flors daughter, Cristina, waxes totally bilingual/bicultural.

However, do not let your pre-viewing expectations get too high! Regardless of being a must see film for all Hispanics who live, have lived or who have had an extended stay in the U. S., Spanglish does have its faults! Producer/director/writer, James L. Brooks, despite having directed such classics as Broadcast News, As Good As It Gets and Terms of Endearment, seems that here there are moments he became too enamored of his own work, causing some excesses. The film drags a bit at over 2 hours. It would have been a more enjoyable film if Brooks had left at least 10 or 15 minutes on the cutting room floor.

In most of the standard areas one eveluates regarding the production values used in making Spanglish... It seems that just about all of them are quite acceptable. Probably even a tad better than most!

However, Spanglish does suffer from moments of rather lackluster script-writing and direction of its principle characters, with too many mugging facial close-ups. These exaggerated expressions often did not seem the least bit natural. Spanglish also would like to convince us that someone can go from a beginner in English to someone with tremendous proficiency in a breezy 2 or 3 months! That seems like quite a lot of Suspension of Disbelief! If it were that easy, we would all speak five languages, right? Despite the few weaknesses highlighted here, Spanglish is guaranteed to impact you a lot! 7*******

This review was redacted after going over the IMDb guidelines for submitting Reviews with the utmost intensive and extreme care. I am certain that it meets all the standards and points mentioned therein. So most certainly...I hope this Review will meet with Your approval and considered to be Helpful.....Enjoy!

Strong Performances Elevate This Film

[atlasmb · 7/10 · 29 January 2021]

This is a story about an undocumented Mexican woman named Flor (Paz Vega) who moves to the U.S. with her daughter. The story is told via flashback, through voice over by the daughter Cristina (Shelbie Bruce), who wants to attend a prestigious university.

As one might expect, there is a culture clash between Flor and the white family that employs her services for household help--especially as personified by Deborah (Tea Leoni), the mother. It should be noted that Leoni and the entire cast give fantastic performances, even if some of the portrayals are written as caricatures. Adam Sandler, who plays the father, John, is particularly fun to watch, because he mostly plays his character straight, without his usual comedic embellishments. I was most impressed by Sarah Steele, who plays the teenage daughter of Leoni and Sandler.

Much of the story is intended to be comedy, though it deals with social issues that go well beyond the disconnect caused by the fact that the two mothers do not speak a common language. The film has a definite perspective about the various cultural issues it addresses, but it is only partially convincing in its arguments.

I found the film to be disjointed, but that did not bother me. There is so much to appreciate in the story of the two families.

El Norte of James L Brooks

[arichmondfwc · 7/10 · 26 April 2005]

Gregory Nava's "El Norte" was a memorable journey into the Latino experience in white wealthy country. That masterpiece had a heartbreaking scene between the Latino maid and a washing machine. "Spanglish" merely hints to a similar moment between the Latino maid and a coffee machine. The "merely hinting" is at the heart of this painful comedy of manners. This is the journey of an observer not of someone who actually lived it. As a consequence he treats his own with an iron hand and the others with a romantic, heroic, fairy taleish sort of slant. Putting aside the potential seriousness of the story, the film is a moving, entertainment fantasy in the land of opulence and guilt. The borders here are not geographic but personal, the aliens are the natives. They become illegal in their own existence and step all over their own lives without noticing, trying to care, trying to be the best they can possibly be but without points of reference or enough substance for their acts to have any kind of real meaning. Tea Leoni gives a performance of such fearlessness that sometimes you feel she may jump out of the screen. Cloris Leachman is great as an alcoholic wise woman who doesn't want to be judged. Paz Vega represents the ideal Latin heroine in a wealthy American's story. She is beautiful and powerful and utterly unlikely. Adam Sandler is Adam Sandler and seems to stand passively between the blonder than blond world of his wife and the exotic gorgeousness world of his maid. I would like to know what happened to Paz and her daughter after leaving behind the chances to be or become like everyone else in the white wealthy country of make believe, or is that too much to ask.

loved the movie and was pleasantly surprised

[sls3 · 14 December 2004]

When I heard the title and learned that Adam Sandler was in this movie, I had very low expectations. Boy, was I surprised. This is a wonderful film, not at all the low-level fluff film I expected. All the female actresses, young and old, are absolutely terrific, and Adam Sandler does a respectable job in a semi-serious role. The writing is very clever, and the film will elicit laughter as well as tears. I found my self still thinking about the movie the next day, something that all too often doesn't happen with today's highly forgettable films. One caveat: this is really a movie for teens and up, not a kids' movie. Aside from a bad word or two and a (hilarious) sex scene, the underlying themes are quite adult. Enjoy!

Upstairs and Downstairs

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 7 October 2013]

Spanglish is an examination of Latino immigrants to the USA. Particularly one mother and her young daughter who arrive in the USA for a better life and their interaction with a rich American family.

The story is essentially told as a flashback with the daughter recounting her experiences with her mother. It is never spelt out whether they came to the USA from Mexico legally or not.

After hooking up with a cousin in LA, as the daughter gets older her mother Flor gets a job as a domestic for Tea Leoni and Adam Sandler.

Leoni is a neurotic mother. They have two children whilst Sandler is a top chef in a restaurant. Leoni's mother played by Cloris Leachman is an alcoholic but rather wise in her years.

Even though she has been in America for several years, Flor has learnt little English and has to communicate via her daughter or others who know Spanish.

Flor is beautiful but she was abandoned by her husband hence why she moved to LA.

James Brooks of Terms of Endearment fame weaves another comedy drama. He examines the cultural clashes that ensue especially when the Sandler family move to a summer beach house for a few months and Flor comes and lives with them accompanied by her daughter.

Paz Vega is very good as Flor, the actors playing the various kids are very good as is Tea Leoni and Leachman.

However Sandler in a straight role is weak. He comes across as nice, understanding, almost every man but he is not a strong enough actor to bring the nuances of his character to light.

The film signals a budding romance with Paz but it is difficult to buy not helped with last minute re-shoots which changed the ending.

Brooks who has shown a sure touch in previous ensemble films such as Broadcast News has maybe let this film meander a bit too much. It needed focus and 20 minutes snipped off.

What a terrible ending.

[mrathletic · 6/10 · 6 July 2021]

What started off to seem like such a beautiful movie, which it kinda still was. Just totally went to garbage when it was revealed at the end that the movie I guess was just Flor's daughter acceptance speech and that she learned that she's still her mothers daughter? I don't know they totally lost me there and then Sandler's character didn't get the girl after his wife cheated on him? What do I get out of this movie? It was so close besides questionable camera angles (that I'm not sure what the director was going for), some corny writing, and the last 30 minutes.

Better than I expected

[TheMovieMark · 7/10 · 17 December 2004]

PLOT

Flor (Vega) emigrates to Los Angeles from Mexico in order to find a better life for her and her daughter, Cristina (Victoria Luna). She is hired by John and Deborah Clasky (Sandler and Leoni) as their housekeeper even though she can't speak a word of English. Faced with a language barrier, a daughter who is growing up faster than she'd like, and eccentric employers, Flor must find a way to adapt and keep her daughter grounded in reality. A surprisingly effective Adam Sandler dramatic turn ensues.

JOHNNY'S TAKE

Waterboy this ain't. For some that's a good thing, for others (as evidenced by the teenagers I saw leave the movie), it's a bad thing. For me? Hey, there's no doubt that I prefer a pure Adam Sandler comedy, but I can handle a dramatic turn like this every once in a while, especially if it's done well. This is definitely Sandler's attempt at trying something new, and while that may not appeal to his core fans, it just might help him find some new ones.

The movie itself is a flashback. The narrator is Vega's daughter, and she's telling us the story of this period of her life because the events are what got her to where she is today.

Here are the basics of what you need to know:

* Vega is a better-looking version of Penelope Cruz who initially can't speak English.

* Sandler is an excellent chef whose biggest fear is succeeding above that which he can handle. Plus, according to Vega, he has the "emotions of a Mexican woman."

* Leoni is Sandler's somewhat crazy wife who hires Cruz to be their housekeeper.

* Cloris Leachman is Leoni's alcoholic mother who badly wants to be able to offer motherly advice.

* Children get involved and all Hades breaks loose.

Everything builds upon those five points. How will everybody deal with Vega's inability to speak English? How will Sandler deal with the fact that his wife has hired a good-looking housekeeper with a loving, caring heart? Why does Leoni not realize how good of a husband she has, and will there be consequences to this? What happens when Vega's daughter moves into the house and Leoni gives her more attention than she does her own daughter?

Tensions run high, and the cultural differences don't help. Leoni and Sandler try to give Cristine the things their children have, but Vega is resistant. She wants sole responsibility for raising her child and instilling values because she feels that's the only way to keep her from becoming something she isn't.

But what happens when her daughter resents this and feels her mother is ruining her life? What happens when individuals begin to realize what and who is most important in their life? Will priorities change?

This is the most vulnerable role Sandler has played, and I think a lot of women like that side of him. Not that I'm an expert on women's thoughts, but whenever I start talking to female friends about how hilarious it was when Sandler punched Bob Barker in Happy Gilmore, they usually prefer to talk about how sweet it was when he sang that "Grow Old With You" song to Drew Barrymore in The Wedding Singer. So it'll be no surprise if he wins a few hearts with the genuine affection he shows his children in this movie. And Leoni's bound to make a few enemies with the lack of affection she shows Sandler.

But neither Sandler nor Leoni (who goes a tad over-the-top at times) is the real star here. That title has to go to Paz Vega. The acting is strong all around, but newcomer Vega really shines. I don't know how broad her appeal will be in future mainstream movies, but she was perfect for this.

Spanglish isn't a perfect movie, and it certainly won't appeal to everyone. After all, some may find it a tad long and too dramatic for their taste. But the characters are developed just enough, and the story is crafted well enough, that I found myself interested in the relationships. I didn't mind the 2+ hour running time because I wanted to see how everything would end up. I must warn you that if you want a romantic movie that turns out EXACTLY like you want it to, then you could be disappointed. But you know, these characters feel real, the relationships feel real, and the result is realistic. Like in life, not all loose ends can be tied up within a 2-hour time frame.

After the movie, Stephanie asked me, "Why don't you say things like 'they need to name a gender after you' (which Sandler says in the movie)?" I think she was mostly joking, but I replied, "I've tried, but you'd just roll your eyes and tell me how gay that was." She admitted that was true but said within the context of the movie with music playing in the background it's not so bad.

I suppose she's right. And on a similar note, while Spanglish is a movie that can lay on the tears and the drama pretty thick, within the context of the story it's trying to tell, I'm man enough to admit that hey, it's not so bad.

THE GIST

If all you're looking for is an Adam Sandler comedy in the vein of Billy Madison or Happy Gilmore, then you could be sorely disappointed. However, if you're really curious to see Sandler try his hand at a more dramatic, less mean-spirited role, and you don't mind a little chick flick drama that focuses heavily on character and story development, then you might find Spanglish to be a little better than you expect.

Rating: 3.5 (out of 5)

Almost a Great Dramatic-Romantic-Comedy

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 17 January 2006]

"Spanglish" is almost a great dramatic-romantic-comedy: the first half is excellent, but the situation of infidelity of Deborah Clasky, the character played by Téa Leoni, and the impossible love of Flor Moreno (Paz Vega) for John Clasky (Adam Sandler) simply destroy the good plot.

I liked the beginning, with the original application of Cristina Moreno to Princeton; the fight of classes, especially when Cristina goes to a private school and the dilemma of her mother is also a great moment. However, Deborah is quite neurotic, but is a good person, and her character is simply wasted by her infidelity. The declaration of love of Flor to John in the restaurant is also awful, and finishes with any good intention of her character to save the soul of her daughter from the corruption of the upper class world. I do not know why the writer made such stupidity with these unnecessary situations. Anyway, it is always delightful to see the beauty of Paz Vega, from " Lucía y el Sexo" and "El Otro Lado de la Cama", even in a Hollywood movie. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Espanglês"

A Mexican immigrant takes on a new job and the paths of both families collide

[anitiru · 8/10 · 21 January 2017]

I started watching this just hoping for a few laughs, this being an Adam Sandler movie. Instead, I found a deep story dealing with issues relevant to real life: what are the values that define you as a person? What is acceptable and what is not? Why one has to draw the distinction between what feels good and what is good?

Spanglish is a good movie backed up by some great performances by Paz Vega and Adam Sandler. Tea Leoni performs her role well and Cloris Leachman is an able support, at times adding a flavor of dry comedy.

I won't reveal the plot. All I'll say is it is worth your time. A funny movie with a solid story and something to take away later.

James L. Brooks works wonders

[Bravesfan17 · 7/10 · 21 May 2010]

Writer-director-producer James L. Brooks movies are good, interesting, and he knows how to let his characters develop. Brooks has always worked amazingly with his leading actresses. Paz Vega is no exception as she is amazing in her first leading role in an American movie. She plays Flor, a housekeeper who is hired for the summer by the Claskys, played by Adam Sandler and Tea Leoni. Vega shows that she can be funny and dramatic and do it just right without pushing it. She shows some brilliance in working with an American script.

Adam Sandler is great in what is more of a supporting role as John Clasky, a chef who is obsessed with being a good enough without raising the bar. Sandler is much more laid back and shows that he can do some good acting when the comedy and drama are mixed just right. Brooks shows us that he can have a good Adam Sandler performance without Adam Sandler being himself.

Tea Leoni shows some good acting chops as Sandler's lost and confused housewife. She is good in this role and shows that she can do good work as an actress. Cloris Leachman is brilliant as Leoni's mother who provides the voice of reason for her. Leachman is also funny at times.

James L. Brooks knows how to write and direct brilliantly to tell the story that he wants to tell. Brooks knows how to transition from scene to scene and have the transitions set up smoothly. Brooks is also great at directing his actors to get the performances that he wants.

No funciona - It just doesn't work

[el_monty_BCN · 2/10 · 26 February 2005]

I had moderately high expectations for this movie. I am Spanish, and since Paz Vega has rapidly become in the last few years one of my country's most popular actresses, I couldn't help but wish that her jump to Hollywood would be successful. Also, the name of James L. Brooks suggested quality. This is a man who doesn't make films often, his fame being grounded mostly on his TV shows, so when he does, one tends to believe it's because he really has something to say.

Sadly, the result of my expectation has been crushing disappointment, for this film fails at so many levels that I couldn't find anything to keep me interested. Brooks's direction, for example, seemed to me amazingly clumsy and lacking in rhythm. Often you had the impression that the camera lingered too long on the actors, and they didn't know what to say, what to do or even where to stand. Sandler, again surprisingly, was the only one to exercise restraint in his performance, in between Leoni's and Vega's terrible overacting; both of them exaggerated their gestures so much you would think they were in a children's play by adults (Actually, it seemed to me the children in the movie were acting much better than them, especially Steele, who plays Sandler's daughter with disarming charm). Then again, good acting is not easy to achieve with a script this terrible: The dialog felt sometimes so fake that you could see them make efforts to sound half believable; the characters were hardly developed or made almost cartoonish (Deb, Tea Leoni's psychotic bundle of nerves of a wife would be the prime example); the situations often didn't make sense (Flor's attitude of fear and disdain towards Deb is completely beyond reason, even to the point of bigotry. Deb may be a neurotic, but Flor has good reason to be very grateful to her); subplots branched out in several directions but never really went anywhere; and the big plot, the development of the romantic spark between the protagonists, felt rushed and unrealistic and I simply could not believe a word of it. I just managed to bear the movie as it got worse and worse and was thankful when it ended, which is when I realized that it didn't just feel long to me; it's also that the thing is way too long!

Thumbs down to Brooks then, and better luck to Paz next time, I hope this mistake doesn't stop her rise to stardom.

beautiful

[princessariane · 10/10 · 14 February 2006]

This movie makes me cry every time. Perhaps the soundtrack does it's job, or the push-ins when the characters have their deep emotional revelations of the epitome of their personalities, but it's not what happens that makes me cry. It is the way the characters are relateable, not so much as the commonness of their ways, because they are very quirky almost to the extreme, but because there is a part of every person in each of them, or at least a part to strives to be. The language barrier just highlights the dialogue, as one watching tries to hear it from foreign ears and yet understands movements and emotions better than what is said. And that, I think, makes this movie perfect.

Not your usual Adam Sandler comedy

[ctomvelu1 · 7/10 · 25 March 2012]

An interesting film for Adam Sandler, who plays a successful restaurateur leading what appears to be the good life in L.A. with his wife (Tea Leoni) and their two young children. They hire a Mexican housekeeper (Paz Vega) who has a young daughter. The plot revolves around one summer spent at a Malibu beach house, where the wife -- played in Leoni's patented high-strung, neurotic style -- attempts to make life better for the housekeeper's daughter. Only she woos the girl with her upper class lifestyle that is ill-suited to this recent immigrant. The movie then becomes a tug of war between the two women for the girl's soul. Also, the wife is cheating on her husband, and the increasingly lonely husband and housekeeper slowly fall for one another. The movie, which doesn't end where you might expect it to, is narrated by the housekeeper's daughter as a grown woman undergoing a college interview. Not bad. Rare to see a subdued Sandler. Touching beach scene between Sandler and Vega. And a very funny foot race between Vega and Leoni.

What to Do About This Mess? (One Spoiler)

[Cammy-3 · 4/10 · 24 April 2005]

I was extremely disappointed in the latest offering from the wonderful writer and director James Brooks. It is difficult to believe or like ANY of the adult characters. First, poor Tea Leoni is the most hideous, narcissistic mother seen on film since the 1930's. Her husband is a wuss of monumental proportions and this couple, supposedly together since high school, communicate in nothing but Westside L.A. feel good code: They need their "space;" they "validate" feelings. It's as if they've spent their entire marriage in aroma therapy and self-esteem building classes.

The gorgeous, thin Mexican maid -- and trust me, none of them look like her in Beverly Hills -- wears two hundred dollar blouses she could never afford and presents us with a portrait of almost saint like devotion to her only child. Then in the end, she refuses to allow the child to continue her education on scholarship at a private school. We are supposed to believe that this daughter went on to a public school I guess, on the other side of L.A. and ended up applying to Princeton? Puh-leese! Did anyone involved with this production visit a public school in L.A. recently? I attended one 30 years ago and my mother still teaches in the school system, which is now about 90% Hispanic and/or African American. The schools today are disaster areas with metal detectors, under-performing warehouses for the children of the poor that do not prepare their students for state college, much less the Ivy League.

There were some great one liners and the two young girls who played the daughters are both excellent actresses, but all in all, this was a real mess -- and a miss by Brooks. It can't hold a candle to "Terms of Endearment" or even an old episode of Mary Tyler Moore.

pleasantly surprised

[[e-mail] · 12 December 2004]

I saw Spanglish Saturday night (12/11/04). It was a preview and I haven't seen any critical reviews yet. I liked it enough to give it a 8 out of 10. It's a comedy with enough serious moments to give a person time to pause and think. Young girl emigrates with her mom from Mexico and settles in California. Mom (being in America illegally) settles as a housekeeper for Sandler and Leoni. She's baffled by the monied existence of the upper classes and how it effects her daughter. I thought that Paz Vega is excellent as the mom. Adam Sandler holds back and plays a compassionate father. Cloris Leachman is great and should be nominated for a Best Supporting Actress. The revelation to me is Tea Leoni. I thought that she was great as the waspish/blond mom/wife who feels that she's not getting enough respect at home.

Riveting Piece!

[jla217 · 7/10 · 26 March 2014]

The cinematic work "Spanglish" by James L. Brooks is an intriguing tale of a Mexican woman and her daughter who travel to Los Angeles. While seeking employment, the mother, played by Paz Vega, finds employment as a housekeeper/nanny with a well off family. Though initially reluctant, she agrees to accept the family's live in position because they agreed to let her daughter live in too. Living in a new place with a new family Flor comes to know all the members of the Clasky family over time. With a dramatic and energetic mother Deborah Clasky, and an intriguing restaurateur father John Clasky (played by Adam Sandler), the Clasky family presents an interesting time for Flor and her daughter.

Deborah's heavy drinking mother who was a former jazz singer, Evelyn, notices that her daughter is in need of support, and is there for her more. When Flor and her daughter Christina spend more time at the Clasky residence they both make efforts in education. Flor learned English for the sake of her family, and Christiana made strong academics efforts when she was presented with the opportunity of a private education. Though all seems to be going well, as soon as Flor and John establish a romantic connection, all begins to change. With a dramatic, yet comedic tone I feel that the film earns a solid 7 out of 10. It is a film that presents a solid cast, interesting storyline, and a balance of cinematic genre.

My favorite scene was the restaurant scene. Through the use of various cinematic elements, and a strong written script, the scene depicts the strong connection and meaning that develops between Flor and John. Though there are other great scenes that I enjoyed, such as the beginning of Flor's stay, I do not want to spoil this clever film. Other key film review sources such as rotten tomatoes gives it a 51%, IMDb give it a 6.5 out of 10, and iTunes customers rate it 4.5 out of 5. Overall, I feel that though there are a wide spectrum of ratings, I feel that Spanglish is a worth viewing. I feel that though the film was not the best film I have ever seen director James L. Brooks did an effective job at creating an overall solid film. Flor and Cristina's story draws parallels to many others whom travel also seeking better opportunity. The story with its various ups and downs keeps the viewer intrigued as this story unfolds before the viewer. I feel that this 7 out of 10 film, is a nice film to watch on a movie night unwinding from one's day.

Comedia romántica americana

[shakercoola · 6/10 · 23 May 2018]

An American comedy; A story about family problems and self-identity. Although it is a little oversimplified on its theme about how people express love, and uneven with some clunky sequences following the prelude, it recovers well. All the performances are good, especially the Spanish beauty Paz Vega who is charming, and Adam Sandler who gives a thoughtful portrayal.

Not bad, though I thought this would be at least a little more funny

[I_am_Jacks_Revenge · 6/10 · 7 February 2007]

This movie was a good movie, but the only problem was that when I was looking at the movie poster for this, I thought this would be more of a comedy than a drama. If you haven't seen this movie, than read no further, 'cause I'm giving away some parts in the movie. I may be wrong, but the only things that were funny to me was when the woman hit her nose against the glass wall, and when the little girl swore in front of her mother and her mother gave her a shocking look. Those were pretty funny. I will give this movie kudos, though, by showing how two families can have controversy, but still end up understanding each other, just not in the same language. I think you'll like this movie, but if it's all laugh-out comedy you're looking for, this isn't quite what you want.

A good movie.

[TOMNEL · 7/10 · 15 November 2006]

Directed by: James L. Brooks. With: Paz Vega, Adam Sandler, Tea Leoni, Shelbie Bruce, Cloris Leachman and Thomas Haden Church.

All I can really say about this is it is a competent drama, with some comedy thrown in, that didn't leave an extremely lasting impression, but who cares? The acting in this is really good, and you really care for or against certain characters. The direction was great. The writing was pretty good. The plot of this is Flor (Vega) is a Hispanic woman that only speaks Spanish hired as a maid for a dysfunctional family, and helping out a struggling father (Adam Sandler). Tea Leoni plays her part to perfection as the cheating wife that cares more for her maid's daughter than her own. Cloris Leachman plays the alcoholic mother that's in it for comic relief. I recommend this, not for a good laugh, but because it's a good, interesting movie.

My rating: *** out of ****. 108 mins. PG-13 for language, sexuality.

God Bless James L. Brooks

[gregorybnyc · 10/10 · 9 June 2005]

James L. Brooks has been giving us such splendid entertainment as a writer, as a producer, as a director for so many years now. I stayed away from SPANGLISH over the Christmas holidays because the reviews were less than mixed, and in a busy season, I made the mistake of thinking it probably wasn't very good. I'm no Adam Sandler fan either. Well I saw SPANGLISH last night and went on this site to read other comments about the film. Lots of you seemed to like the film, and so many of you had questions or thought the film was somehow incomplete:

Why would Flor, the housekeeper for the Clasky's give up here daughter's private school scholarship?

There's no way a gorgeous woman like Flor would be unmarried and working as a housekeeper in Beverly Hills.

Tea Leoni's character is bipolar.

The film tries to tackle too many story lines at once.

The proof of SPANGLISH's excellence is that everybody sees something different, and I think that's where its greatness is. I also think we'll be watching it for years to come with an ever-developing affection and cult-like devotion. I'm assuming you've read the plot line, so I'll just stick to the aspects of this movie which made it such a great experience for me.

Brooks' real talent is in giving us stories about people we care about, even after we've decided we don't like them. Shirley MacLaine's great performance in TERMS OF ENDEARMENT, and Jack Nicholson's in AS GOOD AS IT GETS are not nice people, nor are the three leads in BROADCAST NEWS very likable, but they grow on you. In SPANGLISH we enter the lives of a upwardly mobile Los Angeles couple, both driven by their work which makes them nuts, but too busy to get off the treadmill and smell the flowers.

Tea Leoni 's Deborah is a character who is very neurotic, controlling, arrogant, competitive, spoiled, bratty, cold, and all-too-human. Now a full-time house- mommy after being downsized by her company, she's feeling unfulfilled and dazed by being somehow reduced to motherhood. Leoni gives an incredibly brave performance, and you still don't like her in the end. Adam Sandler, putting aside his obnoxious screen schtick for a second, is totally believable as John, the sweetly hen-pecked and cuckolded husband, who is falling for Flor. Scared of his success as a first-rate chef, he's nearly paralyzed when his sous-chef announces he has the backing to leave and open his own place. But as usual, both husband and wife throw money at any situation that seems to threaten them. Cloris Leachman is back to remind us just what a superb character actress she is, and her wise and loving alcoholic grandmother who is indulged and ignored and condescended to by her daughter, ends up with some of the wisest advice she can give her daughter when the crisis of her marriage has to be faced in real terms and without her usual hysterics. Grandma has lots to atone for over her own neglect, and Leachman's character seems brave enough to put down the booze and face the music.

Paz Vega is a gorgeous woman and is radiant as Flor, the housekeeper. She's a wonderfully protective mother, and she gets totally caught up in her employer's dysfunctional family. The device of having her speaking only Spanish in the first half of the movie, and shyly testing her English in the second half really works as she is an expressive actress. I had no trouble reading her thoughts. All the kids are pitch-perfect, especially the young actress who plays the Clasky's daughter, Bernice. Crushed by her mother's never-subtle hints about her weight, there's a heartbreaking scene where her mother gives her shopping bags of new clothing, all of it too small to fit her.

Brooks doesn't offer any tidy answers here. His characters don't emerge "better"--they just are. Flor quits and takes her beloved daughter with her, away from Deborah, who acts like the only reason she helps to arrange a scholarship for her at her daughter's private school and showers her with gifts, is because Flor's child is really the kid she would prefer to have. And away from John because she knows there's no future for her. She's not a home-wrecker, and she wants to preserve her daughter's own identify, not become middle-class and Anglo. Many people would argue she's nuts to deny her daughter, including me. But I see Brooks' point. You know Deborah and John will probably not stay together. She's wound way too tight, and when her daughter goes through puberty, war will be declared in that household.

As much as I liked Sandler's warm and neurotically hen-pecked patriarch, he's way too passive-aggressive in his own house, colluding with his daughter to make up for her mother's insensitivity. Grandma may have put herself on the wagon to save her daughter's marriage, but there are issues between them from their past that need lots of healing. And what of the virtually ignored little brother?

A little messy, and hugely ambitious, SPANGLISH is a lot like life. Brooks is a great auteur, and here he offers no easy answers of solutions. He keeps giving us films with characters with depth that we recognize and care about. His is a great talent in an industry where humor and intelligence are in very short supply. I watched this film with a friend of mine who started to cry halfway through the picture and didn't stop.

SPANGLISH is going into my permanent DVD collection.

Old values in a new country

[majic-5 · 6/10 · 11 November 2007]

In an engaging way, Spanglish tackles a dilemma: how can a Latino parent integrate into a new country, but ensure that her daughter cherishes traditional Latino attitudes and traditions? The movie's characters, unfortunately, are more archetypes than believable people.

Deborah Clasky is the perfect suburban bitch, and a terrible mom to Bernice, who is average in many ways. Deborah's husband, John, is unbelievably decent, and a successful L.A. chef. Then we have Flor, the Clasky's nanny-maid. She is a madonna of working-class virtue: beautiful but chaste, hard-working, nurturing, and protective of her right to raise her daughter, Cristina, by traditional Latino standards. Cristina is the daughter Deborah always wanted to have: brainy, attractive, well-mannered, and thin.

Deborah seduces Cristina with shopping trips, overnights, and finally, a scholarship to a private school. Flor is justifiably insulted by Deborah's arrogance and worried about losing Cristina. Despite the stock character types, the issues of employee exploitation, cultural assimilation, and the language barrier create plenty of dramatic tension.

Things get more complicated by a budding romance between John and Flor, who fall for each other's decency and kindness. Things come to a boiling point, of course. It's here that Flor makes a gutsy, mature decision, deciding not to create a marital mess. I truly admired Flor for that, even though a real human being would probably take a chance on love. All Flor can do at this point is quit and take Cristina with her. Cristina howls as they walk down the street, crying and raging about how Flor is stealing the opportunities she deserves. It's here that Flor makes another mature move, giving Cristina a choice about their future.

The audience gasped, then held its breath, waiting for Cristina's answer. See Spanglish and see if you have the same reaction.

Really wanted to like it but...

[myleenjan · 4/10 · 7 April 2005]

... this movie was lacking a great script and the touch of realism. The dialogue was muddled & confusing, and trying really hard to be philosophical and touching, but unfortunately, missed it completely. I often got frustrated and screamed, "what?!"... it was quirky and unrealistic. Sometimes the quirkiness adds to the charm of the movie (like Being John Malkovich), here it felt really fake. Like it was trying to match Sideways from a Mexican American point of view.

Here's my other problem with it. The realism of having a tall, skinny, light-skinned Mexican woman with no boyfriend and a wonderfully behaved kid working as a live-in housekeeper just seems like a male fantasy trying to play reality. I mean, how realistic is that? The acting was average at best, but a really poor performance by the daughter of Adam Sandler's character (sometimes you can see her trying to cover up a smile while getting angry).

While I tried to like this movie and the story definitely had a lot of potential, there were major problems and this one had a snore factor. Some things could have been explored more, like the dad's relationship with the kids (you rarely saw how they bonded) and the stupid dog thing could have been cut. Well, it could be worth a look/see if it's on cable, but save your rental fee or $20.

A good maid is hard to find

[jotix100 · 8/10 · 13 November 2005]

Rich people, sometimes, feel guilty about the domestic help they must have to keep their lives in order, which seems to be what's the problem at heart in this story. In fact, some employers like Deborah go to extremes in trying to be nice to a gem she has found in Flor Moreno, the Mexican maid that speaks no English, but who has endeared herself to everyone in the household.

Deborah, a high strung neurotic woman, solves all her problems with money. Flor, on the other hand, has her feet well planted on the ground and has to be careful with her money. In fact, the problems between Deb, the employer, and Flor, the maid, come to a head when the family goes to spend their summer at a Malibu rental. It's inconvenient for Flor to go by bus, and because she has a daughter, Cristina, who she will not part with for all the money in the world. Deborah's solution is to invite Cristina, the maid's daughter to come to stay at the beach.

James L. Brooks, the writer/director of "Spanglish", shows why he is one of the top people working in movies today with this tale about class difference. We are given two strong women, Deborah, who is an unhappy person, and Flor, a woman from another culture, but one with a clear sense of what's right and wrong, with a tremendous sense of who she is and a devotion to her daughter, who she feels is being spoiled by her employer.

There's another problem in the Clasky's household. John Clasky, the head of the house is a noted chef who is completely taken for granted by Deborah. John goes along with the situation, but he has no clue as to what his wife has been doing behind his back, getting into an affair with the real estate man. Deborah completely neglects her sensitive daughter Bernice, who is overweight because of the unhappiness in her house. Also, Deborah's mother Evelyn has a drinking problem. Flor, the maid, a woman with limited education, has more common sense in dealing with all the members of the Clasky's household than Deborah.

Paz Vega, as Flor Moreno, makes a splash with her portrayal of the maid. In fact, Ms. Vega hardly speaks any English, but one doesn't even seem to notice. It's to Paz Vega's credit, making her American debut, that she steals the film from the stars of the film. This actress makes the viewer root for Flor in her efforts to save her own daughter from the excesses she sees in the Claskys.

Tea Leoni plays Deborah Clasky. Ms. Leoni gives a good performance as this confused woman who, in wanting to please her maid, irritates her by exposing young Cristina into things out of her league. Adam Sandler is good also in this more dramatic role that probably his fans will not like, but in fact, it makes perfect sense.

Young Sarah Steele is another surprise in the movie. As Berenice, the plump daughter of the Claskys, she promises to have a natural sense about acting. Cloris Leachman is Evelyn, a former jazz singer who drinks too much. Shelbie Bruce is also good as Cristina.

"Spanglish" is worth taking a look into because the situation it presents is real and Mr. Brooks inspired direction and writing.

Being That Sane Can Drive You Nuts

[ScooterKSU · 7/10 · 15 August 2005]

I'm a huge Adam Sandler fan so much I could quote every line from Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, and The Waterboy for much of the late 90's. Going into the new millennium, Sandler seem to not be able to decide whether to stick with his sophomoric shtick as with Little Nicky or move into a more sophisticated style as he did in Punch Drunk Love. And of course there is always romantic comedy with Drew Barrymore. His latest trek into the sophisticated realm was Spanglish.

The backdrop of the film is an essay a student has written for her application to Yale. It explains why her mother is the person she most admires and goes on to explain how her mom took her from Mexico and made her the person she was today. The problem with this is that the movie then doesn't revolve around the young girl yet focuses on the family he mother began to work for upon arriving in America. In fact the girl gets very little screen time in the movie. The family includes Sandler as the dad with an inferiority complex at being the best chef in the country, his wife, played by Téa Leoni, a victim of downsizing who can quite adapt to being a stay at home mom. They have two children, a son who barely makes blip on screen and an overweight daughter played by an actress who tries to pull off the "wise beyond her age" act but isn't able to do so. Alcoholic grandma also lives with them played perfectly by Cloris Leachman who delivers the best line in the movie, "Honey, lately, your low self-esteem is just good common sense." That line has entered into my repertoire of insults and can't wait until I find the perfect time to unleash it.

The movie finally hit its stride when the family movies to a beach house for the summer when Sandler's family is introduced to the Mexican girl who is forced to move in with them due to distance reasons. Leoni finds in her the daughter she always wanted which causes problem with basically everyone else in the film.

The film is well written finding a balance in-between drama and comedy and also features what was one of the most disturbing sex scenes I have seen in a while. If that ever happen to me, I may have to give up sex for a while. As for the negatives, the movie seems to forget that is it based on an essay and there are many things that I doubt the girl ever knew yet she is able to write about it. Also all the driving scenes it is very obvious that green screens were used and they looked as bad as a SNL skit. A big budget movie should avoid such pitfalls. On the DVD, don't forget to check out the deleted scenes to see one of the funniest scenes with Leoni's character preparing for a party. Although the other scenes make you understand why they left out.

More Hollywood preaching (though subtle)

[drlawyer · 3/10 · 7 August 2005]

***WARNING*** This post contains spoilers about this film. If you haven't seen the film, don't see it, but feel free to read here anyway.

Does anyone else get tired of Hollywood droning on and on about how horrible they think America is? If so, pass on this movie.

The entire movie was one big "America is filled with selfish materialistic half-wits - only the more noble cultures (like Mexico) have any merit" cliché.

The protagonist is a woman who starts off on the wrong foot with me - by sneaking into the U.S. illegally (of course, the movie glorifies this, because she resisted coming for as long as she could and finally succumbed to lowering herself to come to the U.S. so she could find a better life for her daughter... the martyrdom...).

Once here, she is immediately put off by the garishness of the U.S. (which of course is represented by Los Angeles, which (IMHO) is the least American city in America). Fortunately, she is able to find a niche within the city where she is comfortable - a small segment of the city completely populated by other Latin Americans, who have created a little "Neuvo Laredo" right there in the city. No crime, of course - she is welcomed with open arms by the loving and giving community.

Finally, she finds a job that allows her to support her daughter - as a housekeeper for Tea Leoni - who represents a caricatured version of the American woman. Selfish, insecure, obsessed with her looks and career, inconsiderate - she represents (in the writer's opinion and in that of the protagonist) all that is wrong with America in personam. Her husband is a sweet but hen-pecked chef (Adam Sandler) whose greatest quality is, apparently, that he has the emotional personality of a "Latin woman" - lacking in the machismo and confidence of Mexican men (of course).

In the end, despite Leoni's desperate attempts to co-opt the heroine's daughter (since her own is a disappointing little fat kid), the heroine manages to protect her beloved culture in her daughter - by pulling her out of one of the finest prep schools in L.A., where Leoni was able to get her a full scholarship. The movie closes with the daughter writing a letter to Yale, warning them (somewhat pretentiously) that even if she's admitted, she won't change from the girl her mother wants her to be.

A pitiable commentary that thinly veils the writer (and director's?) obvious disdain for all that is the United States, this move is more propaganda than entertainment. Pass on this one, even as a rental.