The Popkorn Junkie :: Spanglish

      When it comes to picky directors, Terence Malick is the king and James L. Brooks is the prince. Coming out of his role as a mega-producer very seldomly, he never disappoints. "Terms of Endearment" was one of the greatest films ever made. "Broadcast News" was cynical, intelligent, and highly humorous. "I'll Do Anything" was a rare treat for Nick Nolte fans. "As Good As It Gets" was one of the most phenomenal works of that year. And, now he delivers "Spanglish", which is certainly his most unusual film to date in that it is nothing like his previous works. This film is dramatic, hilarious, romantic, frantic, enraging, and inspiring all rolled into one. If only the end result had been more polished, maybe this would have ended up being a serious awards contender. Three months ago, before anyone had even seen this film, it was already being dubbed one of the standout films of the year. Now that we have all been given a chance to see it, we realize what the film really is -- a decent flick, but nothing close to James L. Brooks most accomplished achievements. "Spanglish" is creative, intelligent, and very witty -- but a little too unsure of itself.

      The gorgeous newcomer Paz Vega stars as Flor Moreno, a young mother who flees with her daughter from Mexico to Los Angeles, where she works for years doing trivial jobs to support she and Christina (Shelbie Bruce). However, she soon decides to seek employment as a housekeeper. This takes her to the home of the Clasky family. John Clasky (Adam Sandler) is a nationally recognized chef who is usually very calm and collective -- a real level headed family man. Deborah Clasky (Tea Leoni) is neurotic beyond belief and adjusting to life as a stay-at-home mom. They have two children, Bernice (Sarah Steele) and Georgie (Ian Hyland). Cloris Leachman stars as Evelyn Norwich, Deborah's mother, and a former jazz sensation whose record sold 76,000 copies (a big deal in jazz). Flor immediately begins impacting the lives of the Clasky family in everything from teaching the kids that looks aren't everything to giving John a bendable ear when he needs someone to listen to him. By the end of the film, we learn that the trailers for this film were wrong -- "Spanglish" is not about how Flor affects the Clasky family, but how the Clasky family affects Flor. Paz Vega is the star of this film, no matter whose name receives top billing.

      WHAT I LIKED: For starters, this script is highly intelligent. James L. Brooks is the master of the written word and he does things similar to what he did with "As Good As It Gets" -- he takes two different lifestyles...two different cultures and clashes them together in a very meaningful way. With the former, it was Jack Nicholson adjusting to the outside world and homosexuality. With the latter, it is Paz Vega adjusting to American values and modern society as opposed to her traditional Latin roots. I also thought the performances were in tact. Paz Vega is luminous, and makes Penelope Cruz look pitiful in comparison -- her talent is limitless and her comic timing impeccable. Adam Sandler also shows yet another range he possesses as an actor. Here, he shows immense love for his children, understanding for his wife, conflicted emotions about Flor, and even turns into a very weak willed individual at the end of the film. We see all kinds of emotions from him. Also of interesting note is Tea Leoni, who takes neurosis to a whole new level. Her scene with Sandler, in which she has a Meg Ryan-esque orgasm without even taking off her clothes is absolutely perfect...and totally hilarious. The star of the film however, in terms of likeability and comic delivery, is Cloris Leachman as the friendly, alcoholic grandmother. She is at the top of her game and really delivers here. Another pleasant little surprise was Thomas Haden Church showing up for mere seconds as a realtor -- I just love his "Sideways" ass.

      WHAT I DISLIKED: The wishy-washy nature of the film. Sometimes we think the film is about Flor -- after all, her daughter is the one narrating the picture. Then, Brooks turns around and makes us think the film is about the Casky family. I guess I wanted to clearer vision as to the primary focus of the film -- hell, maybe it was about all of them. I also didn't like the way in which Adam Sandler's character took everything lying down. Sure, his character is calm and collected, but he just sits there when Tea Leoni drops her 'end of the movie' bombshell. He barely reacts. And, when he does, he does not act in the way a husband would react -- but in the way you would expect Adam Sandler to react. I also thought that the film paid too much attention to Latin America culture and stereotypes. Sure, being Latin and adjusting to America is part of the film, but it just didn't approach those issues with the right kind of sensitivity. And, the most glaring problem -- the likeability factor. We don't really like anyone in this film. Adam Sandler's character is not likable because he is a weakling. Tea Leoni is not likable because she is a adulteress and a neurotic wench. Paz Vega is not that likable because she treats her daughter without any consideration for her feelings and never even considers making an effort to adjust to traditional America life. Cloris Leachman is the only likable character, and she was a bad mother and drinks more liquor than the workers at the Jack Daniels plant. Maybe we like these characters a little -- but not enough to fall in love with them or be too concerned with what happens to them.

      My one hope for "Spanglish" is that it does not flop. There is very rich material here, and some stellar performances, and even the flaws therein are not enough to make this a bad picture. As for the immense Oscar hype -- I see very little gold for this one. I suspect it will receive a nomination for Best Original Screenplay, but not a win. I also suspect Cloris Leachman might secure a Best Supporting Actress nomination, but will fall the way of Kathy Bates for "About Schmidt" -- a small and hilarious role that receives tons of notice, but not enough recognition. All hopes of a Best Picture and Best Director nomination are basically gone with the wind, unless the Academy just feels like dropping a real load of confusion on critics and studio execs everywhere. "Spanglish" is a charming comedy with great heart and fine intentions, but a little less pay-off than I would have liked. We find out what happens with Flor and her daughter, but nothing about what happens to the Clasky family. We need that resolution. Without it, half of the film was been utterly wasted because we don't know if our attention has been fully rewarded.

-- Billy Ray ( 3 out of 4 pops )

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