IMDb >
Spanglish (2004)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at Blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsSpanglish (2004) More at IMDbPro »
| Photos (see all 106 | slideshow) | Videos (see all 13 NEW) |
Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
17 December 2004 (USA) moreTagline:
A comedy with a language all its own. morePlot:
A woman and her daughter emigrate from Mexico for a better life in America, where they start working for a family where the patriarch is a newly celebrated chef with an insecure wife. full summary | full synopsisAwards:
Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 9 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(39 articles)
Gossip Girl Casting News: The Return of Aaron Tveit, Debut of Sarah Steele (From TVfanatic. 2 October 2009, 3:17 PM, PDT)
'Gossip Girl' exclusive: Nate's hot cuz returns!
(From EW.com - The Ausiello Files. 2 October 2009, 8:49 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Interesting Social Commentary - SPANGLISH? more (310 total)Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Adam Sandler | ... | John Clasky | |
| Téa Leoni | ... | Deborah Clasky | |
| Paz Vega | ... | Flor Moreno | |
| Cloris Leachman | ... | Evelyn Wright | |
| Shelbie Bruce | ... | Cristina Moreno | |
| Sarah Steele | ... | Bernice 'Bernie' Clasky | |
| Ian Hyland | ... | George 'Georgie' Clasky | |
| Victoria Luna | ... | Cristina Moreno - Age 6 | |
| Cecilia Suárez | ... | Monica (as Cecilia Suarez) | |
| Ricardo Molina | ... | Flor's Husband | |
| Brenda Canela | ... | Luz | |
| Eddy Martin | ... | 14-Year-Old Boy | |
| Nicole Nieth | ... | Hostess at Fancy Restaurant | |
| Jamie Kaler | ... | Businessman | |
| James Lancaster | ... | Businessman |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for some sexual content and brief language.Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
131 minCountry:
USAColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreCertification:
UK:12 (video rating) (2005) | UK:12A (original rating) | Italy:T | Portugal:M/12 | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Malaysia:U | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Canada:G (Quebec) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-7 | Germany:6 | Ireland:12A | Netherlands:12 | Norway:7 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG-13 | Brazil:12 | Peru:PTFun Stuff
Trivia:
The film had 13 previews to see the audiences' reaction. moreGoofs:
Continuity: When Flor and her daughter are moving out, the green dress she is wearing seems to go from wet to dry to wet again. moreQuotes:
[first lines]Boy's Voice: [voiceover to scene of people reviewing applications] To Dean of Admission, Princeton University. The most influential person in my life...
Girl's Voice: ...is Mother Teresa, whose example helped me overcome the arrogance which threatened after my 1600 SAT score in National Merit Scholarship
Girl's Voice #2: ...most influential person taught me the most important word I've ever learned; Aloha, which I...
Narrator: To the Dean of Admission, Princeton University, from Cristina Moreno. Most influential person, my Mother, No Contest!
more
Soundtrack:
Ima Showem moreFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (310 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Spanglish (2004) moreRecommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| The Nanny Diaries | The Notebook | The New World | Malèna | Sweet Home Alabama |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Comedy section | IMDb USA section |
| Add this title to MyMovies |
















SPANGLISH - a term with negative connotation to numerous Spanish-Americans (or at least to the first generation or older immigrants).
As the title implies, the movie makes a very interesting and subtle social commentary about the Mexican American dynamics/contrast in society. Obviously as expected, the film illustrates a few stereotypes. For example, when Florrr's (played by Paz Vega) cousin, Cecilia hit the sliding glass door and her nose bled, the wife Deborah Clasky (played by Tia Leone) offered her money instead. It's sad but true in today's society.
But what make the film interesting are its subtleties. For instance the casting and the characters itself. The producers could have hired a blonde blue eyed male lead instead of Adam Sandler, but they did not. Why? Because Sandler's character (John Clasky) is an antithesis of the wife, Deborah Clasky. She's blonde blue eyed superficial, emotionally disturbed, patronizing, solipsistic, white housewife, who the writer ( Brooks )probably wants to portray as the epitome of everything that is bad about white people - or Americans for that matter (however exaggerated they portrayed her to be). You can empathize with the husband's character and Adam Sandler played it very well. It's interesting to note, the husbands character's last name is Clasky - possibly his ancestors were immigrants as well. And his character is portrayed as someone who "gets it", someone who understands Florrr - an immigrant mother who wants her daughter raised with her own values and integrity even though she is only a lowly servant to the Clasky's.
One of the interesting scenes in the film that I found very clever was the argument between Florrrr and John. It showed the two sides of the dynamic. While I was watching it I thought to myself, any other individual would immediately apologize and patronize the immigrant housemaid in the expense of goodwill. But I was surprised that Sandler's character actually called her a "hypocrite" instead, and she realized he has a point. Not to criticize her (it's probably what Deborah would have done) would be hypocritical as well. This is another social commentary that was written very well and cleverly portrayed in the film.
The acting is equally superb. You could just hate some of the characters specially the housewife and the daughter Cristina Moreno (played by Shelbie Bruce). You can just empathize with Adam Sandler's character and his daughter, Bernice. The only people amongst the Claskys that is very adult. The grandmother's character on the other hand (played by Cloris Leachman ) whose always drinking provides a respite to the insanity in the story and ironically always the unobtrusive and yet emphatic character despite how she lived her life. In the end she was the voice of reason for the wife.
Equally, the dialogue is worth mentioning. Interestingly, there are no subtitles on all the Spanish spoken dialogue but the audience can kind of get the gist of what's being said or argued. It can be distracting to some audiences but thankfully, Florrr's character learned to speak English in the second half of the film. Also, the Spanish without subtitles added a few good scenes in the film and added a positive credence to the title SPANGLISH. It illustrates how to write the quintessential part of the screenplay without making it too cliché.
Overall, I liked this film. If you can look at it in the same light as I saw the film, you would enjoy it too and find it cleverly written and directed. Otherwise, it could be a little slow and the dialogue can be a little bit distracting. It doesn't help some of it is in Spanish and Adam sandler's character cannot express himself very well verbally.