Mike's movie guide: "Spanglish"

Words like disappointing, unsatisfying or unfulfilling can be used to describe my reaction to this week's campus movie "Spanglish."

I went into the movie expecting to see a new side of Adam Sandler and that is what I received. Sandler played a mild, submissive and hard working father figure which is opposite many of his other roles as a slap- stick, hilarious comedian. Oddly enough, I was not let down by his performance at all but more by the movie as a whole.

Here is how our own EMU website describes what "Spanglish," is all about: "Cultures collide in this comedy/drama when a beautiful native Mexican woman Flor brings her equally stunning 12-year-old girl to the United States to become a housekeeper for the Claskys, an affluent Los Angeles family. Flor has prepared herself and her daughter for everything except for being completely embraced by this new family. They must deal with this dysfunctional family and deal with the eccentric Clasky way of life."

Based on that description of the movie, I almost want to go see "Spanglish" again but this time I won't be fooled by a good sounding movie idea.

I think actually what disappointed me most was the unattained potential that the movie held with it's theme of connecting to different cultural worlds under one household. Sure there were comedic moments where miscommunications lead to problems. But was "Spanglish" meant to be a comedy or a drama? I feel that it really should have chosen one because in the end it failed at both. If you go into this weekend with no expectations for this movie, maybe you could leave the Science Center happy and content. Of course you will have to get past bad acting on the part of Flor, played by the Spanish star Paz Vega, or the ever annoying acting of Tea Leoni. Perhaps you will be able to see past the confusing love triangle and with luck you could potentially imagine a better ending in your head as you walk on annoyed at losing your $1.50.

I do realize by "bashing" this movie I may forever be losing my credibility as your trustworthy movie reviewer but I will not lie and say this movie is good. Not for the sake of Latino Heritage Month, not to appease the number of girls who told me they loved this movie and not to make friends. I stand by my review and if you choose to ignore it, may you find this movie to be better then yours truly.