"Spanglish" Understood

Adam Sandler in an emotional family flick that is heartwarming, romantic, and serves as an interesting look at how our society views immigrants without coming off as heavy handed and sugary sweet? Now I have seen everything.

Spanglish is Sandler’s second foray into “serious” acting territory following last year’s well received Punch Drunk Love. Spanglish has me convinced that Sandler is capable of going the way of Jim Carrey (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and Robin Williams (One Hour Photo) in taking on heady roles that move beyond slapstick, low brow, frat boy humor.

Sandler is the head of a well-to-do Los Angeles household. His wife, Téa Leoni, has just been laid off from her company and is now, “gulp”, a stay at home mom. With all of her free time she just can’t seem to find time to clean the home and take care of her children. What’s a girl to do but hire an illegal Mexican immigrant who speaks no English at a wage that no American citizen would ever accept? With the introduction of a beautiful Mexican woman, Flor (Paz Vega), into their home, cultures clash, romances bud, and the coffee gets made.

I enjoyed Spanglish because it left-handedly comments on today’s society, while not making this the main focus of the film. If it were, it would be a depressing, idealistic movie that would have no place during the holiday movie season. Flor comes to America for a better life for herself and her child, Christina (Shelbie Bruce). Her introduction to the United States is through a predominately Mexican part of LA where, as her daughter notes, she can live without speaking a word of English. Flor works two jobs which pay $450 a week combined before she decides to become a maid for a wealthy family where she can make more money. 

Flor slowly becomes assimilated into American culture, learning to speak English and eventually sending her daughter off to school. The self centeredness of America as a society is depicted when Flor becomes fluent in English while none of the Clasky’s attempt to learn a word of Spanish. 

The acting is all around phenomenal. Both families deal with turmoil that require the child actors (the above mentioned Bruce and Sarah Steele) to deliver bittersweet performances. Leoni is a manic mother on the verge of a breakdown. And again, Sandler is excellent. His performance is understated, and he hits on nuances that bring his character to the fore.

James L. Brooks directs, craftily balancing all of the different characters, familial relations, and cultural voids while adding another layer to the film through camera technique. Sex never looked like so much work, while cooking becomes downright erotic. Of course Flor’s job as a maid is glossed over, looking more like a paid vacation than work, but come on, this is a film; do we really want to watch someone clean up after a neurotic family for hours on end?

Spanglish will leave you feeling grateful for things taken for granted like family, a loving husband, sanity and is a worthwhile film to see even if it is just to avoid another high budgeted Hollywood holiday saccharine overdose.

Film Rating: êêêêê  (out of 5)