In an engaging way, Spanglish tackles a dilemma: how can a Latino parent integrate into a new country, but ensure that her daughter cherishes traditional Latino attitudes and traditions? The movie's characters, unfortunately, are more archetypes than believable people.
Deborah Clasky is the perfect suburban bitch, and a terrible mom to Bernice, who is average in many ways. Deborah's husband, John, is unbelievably decent, and a successful L.A. chef. Then we have Flor, the Clasky's nanny-maid. She is a madonna of working-class virtue: beautiful but chaste, hard-working, nurturing, and protective of her right to raise her daughter, Cristina, by traditional Latino standards. Cristina is the daughter Deborah always wanted to have: brainy, attractive, well-mannered, and thin.
Deborah seduces Cristina with shopping trips, overnights, and finally, a scholarship to a private school. Flor is justifiably insulted by Deborah's arrogance and worried about losing Cristina. Despite the stock character types, the issues of employee exploitation, cultural assimilation, and the language barrier create plenty of dramatic tension.
Things get more complicated by a budding romance between John and Flor, who fall for each other's decency and kindness. Things come to a boiling point, of course. It's here that Flor makes a gutsy, mature decision, deciding not to create a marital mess. I truly admired Flor for that, even though a real human being would probably take a chance on love. All Flor can do at this point is quit and take Cristina with her. Cristina howls as they walk down the street, crying and raging about how Flor is stealing the opportunities she deserves. It's here that Flor makes another mature move, giving Cristina a choice about their future.
The audience gasped, then held its breath, waiting for Cristina's answer. See Spanglish and see if you have the same reaction.
Deborah Clasky is the perfect suburban bitch, and a terrible mom to Bernice, who is average in many ways. Deborah's husband, John, is unbelievably decent, and a successful L.A. chef. Then we have Flor, the Clasky's nanny-maid. She is a madonna of working-class virtue: beautiful but chaste, hard-working, nurturing, and protective of her right to raise her daughter, Cristina, by traditional Latino standards. Cristina is the daughter Deborah always wanted to have: brainy, attractive, well-mannered, and thin.
Deborah seduces Cristina with shopping trips, overnights, and finally, a scholarship to a private school. Flor is justifiably insulted by Deborah's arrogance and worried about losing Cristina. Despite the stock character types, the issues of employee exploitation, cultural assimilation, and the language barrier create plenty of dramatic tension.
Things get more complicated by a budding romance between John and Flor, who fall for each other's decency and kindness. Things come to a boiling point, of course. It's here that Flor makes a gutsy, mature decision, deciding not to create a marital mess. I truly admired Flor for that, even though a real human being would probably take a chance on love. All Flor can do at this point is quit and take Cristina with her. Cristina howls as they walk down the street, crying and raging about how Flor is stealing the opportunities she deserves. It's here that Flor makes another mature move, giving Cristina a choice about their future.
The audience gasped, then held its breath, waiting for Cristina's answer. See Spanglish and see if you have the same reaction.