Review of Spanglish (2004) by Hannibal O — 26 Sep 2008
This movie is stuffed with random bits of character and story that drags for more than 2 hours. After watching this, you'll ask yourself what happened to the great James L. Brooks, the guy who brought us Terms of Endearment and Broadcast News? Instead we get this desperate, shapeless, overreaching big-screen sitcom of a movie that just wants to be loved.
This movie never gels, it has no focus, and whatever Brooks thought he was saying about success or about class differences in America gets lost in translation. The actors are not much better, especially the extremely annoying Tea Leoni.
She apparently plays Brooks' idea of a Bel-Air housewife with too much time on her hands but coming across more like someone with a severe, undiagnosed case of manic depression. Only Paz Vega's character carves out something close to a believable, full-bodied character.
But still, you can't help but wonder how many Mexican maids look like supermodels. And Sandler has one terrific confrontation with Leoni, in which its possible to see what a great performance he may have given.
This review of Spanglish (2004) was written by Hannibal O on 26 Sep 2008.
Spanglish has generally received positive reviews.
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