I don't understand how lately some of these comedy stories are more like romance and drama films. I guess they feel that just since Adam Sandler is in the movie it's automatically entitled as being a 'comedy'.
Christina is writing her Acceptance letter and is explaining to Princeton as to why her mother is her role model. In this movie Flor Moreno, played by the stunning Paz Vega, moves to Los Angeles from Mexico to find a better life for her daughter Christina (Victoria Luna). They move in with Flor's favorite cousin for shelter and help to promise pay for the rent. At first Flor struggles to work two jobs making a measley weekly salary of $450. This came to a problem as her daughter was getting older and entering her teen years and needed to be around so that she wouldn't be getting into any trouble with boys. Flor's cousin helps Flor get a job working as a housekeeper for the Clasky family.
The Clasky family is very dysfunctional, for lack of a better word, and the mother is the focus to all of the madness that occurs in the household. She's constantly making comments to her daughter about her weight. This becomes obvious as the mother comes home from clothes shopping with two bags full of clothes that are a size 8 and her daughter fits in a 9. Flor witnesses the hurt in Bernice's face, because she can't understand English, and plans to 'fix' things. She attempts to re-stitch her clothes so that they fit. You would think this would have smoothed things good within the household, but no.
The Clasky's decide to rent out a summer home after the revealance of John Clasky's 4 star rating and "best chef in the world" comment in the LA-Times. This forces Flor to allow her daughter into the world of the Clasky's, which she is something she doesn't want Christina to get involved in. On the day of arrival Mrs. Clasky (Tea Leoni) borrows her daughter without her consent and comes home with Christina's hair highlighted pink and with gifts. Flor is an example of a strong, hard-working, Mexican woman who plans to implement her persona onto her daughter. The acceptance of gifts and handouts is something she is not proud of and believes that people should only receive things through work. Her nightmare has begun and her daughter is starting to get sucked into the Clasky's world as Christina is invited to attend a private school as opposed to her public school where they won't pressure her into being someone she is not.
It would not be right to categorize this movie as being a comedy. It's a romance and drama film and that only, but a very good one. Sure to bring a tear or two in a few of the scenes (that is if you believe in family values). I felt like the ending could have been a little bit better, but it was still solid.
"Spanglish" opens December 17, 2004 and is rated PG13. Drama. Directed by James L Brooks. Written by James L. Brooks. Starring Thomas Haden Church, Adam Sandler, Tea Leoni, Paz Vega, Cloris Leachman.
