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I never thought I'd join the following sentences together, but here goes:

Spanglish is one of the best movies of the year. And it stars Adam Sandler.

I won't belabor my previous thoughts about Sandler, but what a refreshing treat it is to see him playing a full-fledged adult. In fact, every character in the movie is full-fledged--from the kids to the grown-ups, not always likable, but always believable. These days, that passes for a miracle in the movies.

The story, strangely enough, is narrated by Cristina (Aimee Garcia), the 17-year-old daughter of Flor (Paz Vega), who moves from Mexico to L.A. when her husband deserts her. Despite knowing little English, Flor becomes a domestic for Deborah Klasky (Tea Leoni), the lovely but neurotic wife of John (Sandler), a famous chef who handles food better than he handles conflict.

The above synopsis is about as blah as I had thought the movie would be. Writer-director James L. Brooks has had a hand in creating some great TV shows ("Mary Tyler Moore," "The Simpsons"), but his movies (Terms of Endearment, As Good As It Gets) tend to be hit-and-miss. But Spanglish hits the bull's-eye. Brooks starts with stock characters--the klutzy Hispanic, the thoughtless L.A. blonde--and turns them inside out.

And Brooks' pitch-perfect script is matched by his terrific cast. Vega, Garcia, and Cloris Leachman as Deborah's lush of a mother, are all delightful.

As for Tea Leoni, she always seemed to me as a beautiful mannequin--great to look at, but nothing inside. Here, finally, she fills in the gaps and creates an often unlikable but very memorable character.

And then there's Adam Sandler. He carries much of the movie. Beautifully. As an adult. That might not seem like much, but I'll take my Christmas miracles where I can find them.

Spanglish is rated PG-13 for much adult language and one sex-themed scene.