QUINCEAÑERA A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2006 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ** 1/2
QUINCEAÑERA, a cross between an after-school television special and a Spanish-language soap opera, has but one major surprise. Since its messages appear clearly directed at teenagers, why the filmmakers brought in an R-rated movie is something of a mystery. The trimming of a couple of relatively superfluous drug episodes and some suggestive content would easily have gotten the film a PG-13 rating, without any diminution of the story or its messages.
The movie does have one other surprise. Despite the title being in a foreign language, the film is about sixty percent in English. Set in the Echo Park barrio of L.A., the movie does have a large Spanish language content, but Spanish is slightly in the minority. Most viewers seeing the title will be suspecting that it is a foreign film in a foreign language.
The plot involves a fourteen-year-old pregnant virgin named Magdalena (Emily Rios). Her pregnancy isn't exactly an Immaculate Conception -- Don't ask. -- but her family's religious beliefs in the Virgin Mary and the Bible are prominently featured. The title of the picture comes from a coming of age party traditionally thrown for fifteen-year-old Latinas. The story is bracketed by two such parties, the first one for Magdalena's sister and then one for Magdalena, who has to wear her sister's dress, which Magdalena resents.
The movie never really works as a drama, but, as a slice-of-life tale, it captures the sights of Magdalena's neighborhood well. Usually when ethnic food appears in a film, as it did so fabulously in LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE, the food is quite appealing. QUINCEAÑERA, however, manages to make the food appear singularly unappetizing, with an ugly, grayish cast to it.
There is also a subplot about white gay yuppies who seek hot Latinos, and who treat them as lower class gays. This portion feels tacked on, as if the writer had run out of things to say.
In a completely forgettable movie, newcomer Emily Rios does manage to suggest some acting promise. Her honest portrayal of the young pregnant teen will hopefully earn her the chance to work with better material in the future.
QUINCEAÑERA runs 1:30. The film is in English and in Spanish with English subtitles. It is rated R for "language, some sexual content and drug use" and would be acceptable for teenagers.
The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, August 11, 2006. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the Camera Cinemas.
Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com
Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com
Want free reviews and weekly movie and video recommendations via Email?
Just send me a letter with the word "subscribe" in the subject line.
-- rec-arts-movies-reviews@robomod.net mailing list http://www.robomod.net/mailman/listinfo/rec-arts-movies-reviews
The review above was posted to the
rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup (de.rec.film.kritiken for German reviews).
The Internet Movie Database accepts no responsibility for the contents of the
review and has no editorial control. Unless stated otherwise, the copyright
belongs to the author.
Please direct comments/criticisms of the review to relevant newsgroups.
Broken URLs inthe reviews are the responsibility of the author.
The formatting of the review is likely to differ from the original due
to ASCII to HTML conversion.
Related links: index of all rec.arts.movies.reviews reviews