Things that stand out in Spanglish
Ok, I have a confession to make. I had refused to watch Spanglish until today, because Adam Sandler was in it. I assumed that it is just one of those silly movies, but I admit that I was totally wrong. One of members in yet Another Film Critique Website Forum recommended that I watch Punch-Drunk Love featuring Adam Sandler; featuring Adam Sandler is exactly the reason why I refused to give it a shot, but I gave it shot. It was worth it, and I'd like to write about the movie sometime this week. After I was pleasantly surprised, I had to watch another movie featuring Adam Sandler, which was Spanglish. Another good movie. The movie has a good story and all that, but I want to mention things that stand out in Spanglish, yet do not get mentioned so often (I don't think they get mentioned so often).
1. So many Hollywood movies do terrible job of filming any cooking scene. This movie does it right. There is some authenticity. Quite frankly, there isn't any cooking culture in US, and I believe that this is the main reason why Hollywood movies do terrible job of filming any cooking scene. However, though there aren't that many scenes, cooking scenes bright quality to the movie. Sandwich and beer scene looks very good. Sandwich is presumably a special sandwich made by the top chef in US whom John Clasky played by Adam Sandler is modeled after. I don't know what beer is used, but it looks like that the movie picks a good beer like Anchor Steam (made in San Francisco). Kitchen in the movie is a very peaceful place instead of some chaotic place that we often see in many movies; this facilitates to make cooking authentic in this movie as well.
2. The audience can see that John Clasky played by Adam Sandler is being attracted to Flor played by Paz Vega pretty clearly. Flor, on the other hand, keeps stoic face; her expressions are very subtle. This is actually very consistent with storyline; this is who she tries to be, and this is how she takes care of and raises her daughter. It's a bit unusual character portrait, especially, because this is a romantic comedy movie, but Paz Vega does the right job. Her acting really tells what this story is about.
3. The movie is a comedy and it is funny. The movie is comical and very funny, because there really aren't silly funny scenes. Content makes this movie funny. For example, Deborah played by Téa Leoni really captures dilemma that mothers in today's America face and problems that they exhibit. Téa Leoni acts in such a way that Deborah is a real woman and not trying to be funny or anything (like characters in TV sitcom); her acting creates content, real story and real character, and that makes Deborah funny. Another example is that Flor played by Paz Vega looks like a model with domestic look (cheap clothes and very basic makeup), while most Americans' preconceived notion of Mexican immigrant woman is completely different (short, chubby and wearing dirty clothes); there is something comical about this.
If you watch Spanglish thinking that this is a drama, then you would find that many elements of the movie are unrealistic. If you watch Spanglish thinking that this is a comedy that mostly appeals to your eyes and ears, you would probably find that the movie is unfunny. But if you have the right mindset and if you watch Spanglish thinking that this is a kind of comedy that content makes it funny, then you would find that the movie is funny, and also it is moving and it has a good message.
1. So many Hollywood movies do terrible job of filming any cooking scene. This movie does it right. There is some authenticity. Quite frankly, there isn't any cooking culture in US, and I believe that this is the main reason why Hollywood movies do terrible job of filming any cooking scene. However, though there aren't that many scenes, cooking scenes bright quality to the movie. Sandwich and beer scene looks very good. Sandwich is presumably a special sandwich made by the top chef in US whom John Clasky played by Adam Sandler is modeled after. I don't know what beer is used, but it looks like that the movie picks a good beer like Anchor Steam (made in San Francisco). Kitchen in the movie is a very peaceful place instead of some chaotic place that we often see in many movies; this facilitates to make cooking authentic in this movie as well.
2. The audience can see that John Clasky played by Adam Sandler is being attracted to Flor played by Paz Vega pretty clearly. Flor, on the other hand, keeps stoic face; her expressions are very subtle. This is actually very consistent with storyline; this is who she tries to be, and this is how she takes care of and raises her daughter. It's a bit unusual character portrait, especially, because this is a romantic comedy movie, but Paz Vega does the right job. Her acting really tells what this story is about.
3. The movie is a comedy and it is funny. The movie is comical and very funny, because there really aren't silly funny scenes. Content makes this movie funny. For example, Deborah played by Téa Leoni really captures dilemma that mothers in today's America face and problems that they exhibit. Téa Leoni acts in such a way that Deborah is a real woman and not trying to be funny or anything (like characters in TV sitcom); her acting creates content, real story and real character, and that makes Deborah funny. Another example is that Flor played by Paz Vega looks like a model with domestic look (cheap clothes and very basic makeup), while most Americans' preconceived notion of Mexican immigrant woman is completely different (short, chubby and wearing dirty clothes); there is something comical about this.
If you watch Spanglish thinking that this is a drama, then you would find that many elements of the movie are unrealistic. If you watch Spanglish thinking that this is a comedy that mostly appeals to your eyes and ears, you would probably find that the movie is unfunny. But if you have the right mindset and if you watch Spanglish thinking that this is a kind of comedy that content makes it funny, then you would find that the movie is funny, and also it is moving and it has a good message.
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