There's a distinct lack of chemistry here and a strong whiff of moral sermonizing that undermines the romantic impact.
Spanglish (2004)
Runtime: 2 hrs 11 mins
Synopsis: With SPANGLISH, writer/director/producer James L. Brooks (AS GOOD AS IT GETS) unfurls yet another accomplished, tender, romantic comedy. Celebrated chef John Clasky (Adam Sandler) is the patriarch of the Clasky household, but the mood swings of his hypersensitive wife, Deborah (Tea... With SPANGLISH, writer/director/producer James L. Brooks (AS GOOD AS IT GETS) unfurls yet another accomplished, tender, romantic comedy. Celebrated chef John Clasky (Adam Sandler) is the patriarch of the Clasky household, but the mood swings of his hypersensitive wife, Deborah (Tea Leoni), are what really runs the show. When the Claskys hire the beautiful Flor (Paz Vega) to be their maid, their already rocky relationship faces some even bigger boulders. Spanish-speaking Flor is a sincere, loving single mother whose daughter, Christina (Shelbie Bruce), receives lavish displays of affection from Deborah. Meanwhile, Deborah neglects her own son and daughter in much the same way that her self-absorbed, alcoholic mother, Evelyn (Cloris Leachman), neglected her. Eventually Deborah crosses a line when she betrays her husband with the real estate broker who is helping her search for a beach house. Faced with this challenge, John and Flor, who share a clear attraction to one another, get the chance to explore their feelings. Brooks populates his film with wholly believable characters. On first glance they may seem like broad caricatures (especially in the case of the roles played by Leoni and Leachman), but the characters subvert viewers' expectations by turning into full-fledged, three-dimensional humans by the end of the film. As in PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE, Sandler delivers a performance that shows his wide range of talent. [More]
Genre: Comedies
Starring: Adam Sandler, Paz Vega, Tea Leoni, Cloris Leachman
Screenwriter: James L. Brooks
Producer: Richard Sakai, Joan Bradshaw, Julie Ansell, James L. Brooks
Composer: Hans Zimmer
DVD Info
Release:
Aug 5, 2009
DVD Features:
- Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 - English, French (Canadian)
- Subtitles - English, French (Parisian) - Optional
Reviews
A satisfying and grown-up flick that boasts all of James L. Brooks’ strengths.
This is Hollywood liberal humanism as muted join-the-dots melodrama, all carefully calculated colouring, broad outlines, and no room for fruitful digression.
A wonderfully touching and brilliantly funny work that's as committed to its characters as it is to its audience.
Sandler is excellent, delivering a heartfelt performance that is easily on a par with his work in Punch Drunk Love.
Brooks' championing of good old-fashioned family values feels hopelessly naïve and frankly unconvincing.
Sandler's best-ever performance--the least self-conscious thing he's done
There are signs that a lot has been cut, and in trimming his film Brooks may have squeezed too tight: his movie needs breathing space.
The film racks up points for stressing in eloquent ways the importance of one's own roots, even when dwarfed or demeaned by the lure of the dominant, more affluent culture.
While the content isn't always pretty, the lessons are important. And, Brooks, thankfully, isn't afraid to face these themes, ugliness and all.
Vega radiates effortless strength and charm in her first Hollywood role, and Sandler proves to be a gratifyingly unpredictable leading man, self-effacing one moment and hilariously emphatic the other.
Much as Spanglish makes their mutual attraction look magically real and charming, the prospect of John and Flor's romance remains alarming, and not just for the questions it raises about sleeping with the help.
Some great lines, some great performances, some very very interesting relational topics, but un-quenching, seldom moving and simply not funny enough to be a comedy.
A worthy follow-up to [Director James L.] Brooks’ 1997 success, As Good as it Gets.
Brooks struggles to define Spanglish, garbling the storylines in an unfocused film that only skims the surface in its two hours plus running time.
Meandering, redundant, and shapeless – one gets the feeling that with discipline and focus, a good film could easily have been carved out of all this earnesty.
'Brooks’ preference is clear: wise Mexican earth mother trumps competitive American neurotic every time.'
As ótimas atuações contribuem para que a primeira metade funcione como um bom estudo de personagens; é aí que o melodrama toma conta da história e enfraquece este longo filme.
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