Spanglish

Here we have a film that is carried by a strong acting ensemble shuffling through a hazy plotline. The performances essentially save the film, which seems, at times, to not know where it's heading and drags. "Spanglish" was written and directed by James L. Brooks, and it shows. The movie, like "As Good as It Gets" or "Terms of Endearment", draws a fine line between its humor and drama. It plays to an intelligent audience who can draw inferences from its characters. The central conflict to the film is that the characters cannot communicate with each other. Whether it is a domestic or language barrier, the character talk and act in a frank and realistic manner. There's a remarkable depth to them, and three are marked by excellent performances.

The film begins with administrators at Princeton University opening an application letter from Cristina (Shelbie Bruce) who wrote an essay about her mother and the life the two of them have shared growing up. Her beautiful Mexican mother is named Flor (Paz Vega), who brings Cristina to the United Sates after her husband leaves them. She becomes employed by the prominent sub-urban Clasky family as a maid. Why such a beautiful woman is hired as a maid for a turbulent family is beyond me. Anyway, Deborah (Tea Leoni) is the household mother who seems to have more on her mind than she has time to relate. She is neurotic to be around and constantly being put in her place by her mother, Evelyn (Cloris Leachman), who also lives in the house as a once famous singer and now lovable grandmother. The head of the household is John (Adam Sandler), a highly praised chef for the Hollywood elite. He and Deborah have two children and are constantly at each other's throats. The problem seems to be Deborah's insecurities, although the film does not bluntly tell us.

So here we have this sub-urban family that is in turbulence. They have this sexy, non-Enlish speaking maid to help around the house. And the family itself is highly dysfunctional and misunderstood. The film has merged two cultures together and produced a film that is sporadically amusing and serious. The Clasky family goes through their share of troubles throughout the film with Flor and Cristina always along for the action.

It's interesting the way Flor tries to keep from being too much a part of the Claskys' life. It's in vain, for when the Claskys move to a beach house in the summer, Flor and Cristina go along. Throughout the summer, the characters attempt to communicate their feelings and ideals with one another. These Spanish and English cultures collide with the result being "Spanglish", a title that took me a while to figure out. By the end, we learn Flor, despite the language barrier, shines the most as a compassionate mother who only wants the best for her daughter. Thus, we learn why Cristina chose this narrative to write about for admission into Princeton.

The performances are excellent; Tea Leoni, Paz Vega, and Adam Sandler have pulled off their roles exceptionally as dysfunctional people living under the same roof. They work very well together bringing out controlled qualities making them the famous actors they are. This is Vega's first American film. While she is a major star in Spain, Luga has the good will and look of a mesmerizing actress.

Tea Leoni's character, Deborah, is a hard one to pin down. She has the most depth, communicating her feelings by crying most of the time. Her emotional inabilities mess up a lot of people including her own child. In one emotional scene, Deborah buys her daughter Bernice (Sarah Steele) clothes that she finds out are too little. It shows she doesn't know much about her daughter and results in Bernice's self-esteem about her weight plummet. Yet, Deborah takes to Cristina and treats her like her own child. I suppose we can label this disturbing. Leoni captures Deborah's neurotic personality well. She doesn't act in an acceptable manner, yet we still feel she's trying to get her lifestyle right.

As I mentioned, this film is Paz Vega's first American movie. She really did not know English that well when Brooks cast her. That edge of realism shows in her character's desperate attempt to communicate, verbally and emotionally, with the Clasky family. Verbally, Flor can get her daughter to translate for her. Emotionally, we have a strong-willed and proud mother who wants everybody to know it, no matter what.

Then there's Adam Sandler in his second challenging role I think he fits perfectly. Two years ago, he played a neurotic man in "Punch-Drunk Love", and this time he has to deal with a neurotic wife. We like this character. We see how frustrating it is for him to live in an environment with a beautiful woman that's not his wife and one that pretends she's not. As his wife neglects him, we feel sorry for him. His communication is also sub-par; the things he does to appease his frustrations and pain are funny and moving at the same time. He doesn't run off with the film, but his humor is controlled with several instances of his trademark "rage scenes".

These performances are aided by good supporting work from Shelbie Bruce, Sarah Steele, and Cloris Leachman. Acting is director James L. Brooks specialty. The way he can slow the film down taking time with the characters works. However, his script's plot sags. The duration will lose those looking for its purpose. That fact alone nearly destroys a film that, otherwise, could have been great. There are scenes that beat around the bush too much. Scenes that gets us nowhere. I don't have a problem with how long a film is. In fact, I can squirm in my seat the whole time and still love the film. It's the subject matter I might roll my eyes at, but I know how the subject matter is presented is what counts.

Brooks creates these strong performances the actors run off with, but his structure of the film loses us. I read somewhere he released the film to the studio at the last minute. I wonder if the film could have had clearer focus given more time. Anyway, the strong acting ensemble is the core and saves my recommendation.