Spanglish - the movie
Adam Sandler, Tea Leoni, Paz Vega, Cloris Leachman
“I’m going to show you love in every language” is how one of the songs of the movies goes. It works. It certainly worked in Spanish. Listen to Juan Luis Guerra’s “Areito” and you’ll understand.
Spanglish is about the intersection of two languages, two cultures, English in America and Spanish from Mexico. A woman named Flor (Paz Vega escapes the servitude of Mexico and of a controlling husband to live free in the US, settling in the most populous Hispanic sector of the country – Los Angeles.
When she realizes that she needs $450 or so per week from ONE job instead of two (in order to keep a daily eye on her child as she matures), she seeks a job as a housemaid in a wealthy household. Enter the Clasky family headed by John (Adam Sandler and Deb (Tea Leoni. John and Deb are high school sweethearts, have been married maybe 15-20 years and have two kids. She is a chronically insecure person who seeks constant approval. In addition, her insecurity is exacerbated with the loss of her high profile job a short while back and the success of her husbands restaurant venture. All of it leads to family crisis as she begins to question not only her place in society but her place at home. Easy for her to blame it all on her alcoholic mother (played with deft skill by Cloris Leachman but she knows better.
Flor (Paz Vega) brings a sense of clarity, character, steadfastness, confidence and righteousness that matches that of John (Adam Sandler). They both know it and a bond between them grows throughout. There’s even the hint that if John did not have children, he would choose Flor over Deb. At this advanced stage in their lives, their values and clarity, sense of spirit link them inextricably. One gets the sense that even in their ultimate separation (the responsibility of 2 young children ultimately force John ad Deb back together), they will remain bonded – similar to the situation encountered by Robert Kincaid (Clint Eastwood) and Francesca Johnson (Meryl Streep) in The Bridges of Madison County . The “responsibilities” of family, of children prevent their physical union. However, one gets the feeling that their souls will be intertwined throughout the ages, that perhaps in old age they may find each other again and live out their love for one another.
(more…)