Sueño

This is a film that is understated and while it's billed as a comedy, it ain't. It's about music, it's about people, and how music brings folks together.

For fans of John Leguizamo's past films, this is going to be a surprise. It's not laugh out loud funny. It's a tale about a musician who comes from Mexico to LA, and the star in this film isn't John, it's not Elizabeth Pena, or any of the other very capable actors who lent their time to the film, but the music. And their passion for the music.

And the nice thing is the stars in the film take a back seat to the music, they deliver a vehicle to let the sounds of the LA Latin music scene come forward.

It's not a film for everyone. Some folks demand a plot that is a bit more driven, but this film slopes toward its conclusion, not with any haste, and gently. The characters are a framework to deliver the sounds of the scene, and that sort of structure is anathema to some film goers, but very familiar to folks who loved the classics, and this is a film that loves the classics as well as the new voices. It's a great homage to the great old vehicles that let bands and artists get notice, that championed their music.

If you're looking for The Pest or something akin to Leguizamo's fantastic monologues, you might want to pass on it. This ain't them. But if you're looking for a film that is full of music, for just a sweet story, this might be the ticket.

I like John Leguizamo (Executive Decision, Moulin Rouge!,Land of the Dead), and he is really believable in this film. He seems to really take on the character of a young Mexican immigrant who just wants to play music.

Elizabeth Pena (Lone Star, Rush Hour, Transamerica) was also very good as the singer who no longer believes in herself. Pena and Leguizamo support each other to the top.

Having said that, this was more of a music video than a movie. Sure, there was the attraction between Leguizamo and Ana Claudia Talancón, and the fantasy dance they did was so hot I wanted a cigarette after watching it, but it was just a minor part of the film, which was 95% music.

Nestor Serrano (Girls in Prison, City by the Sea) was also very good as the band's manager. And, I sure want to see more of Erica Munoz.

This is my all-time favorite movie about music/dancing. Well, it wasn't about dancing, but it's hard to separate the two into different genres.

My previous favorite was Dirty Dancing, and the music in that one was, of course, superb. But this movie, "Sueno" ... Do we not all have dreams? The tragedy of not pursuing one's dream cannot be calculated. I carried away a great message from this film. I rented this movie from Netflix, liked it so much I then bought it from Netflix.

The entire cast was superb, starting with John Leguizamo who gave an Academy Award caliber performance. He was Absolutely fantastic, as was Ana Claudia Talancon, who may be the most beautiful woman in the world.

This film fits under the genre of whimsy. What makes it good is its appeal to the senses through Mexican culture. John Leguizamo excels in the part of Antonio: a struggling musician with an irrepressible spirit. Generally it is a well cast film. The music is good overall: some songs are truly excellent making up for one or two exceptions. Unexpected humor at times makes this an uplifting little romance and the charm of the film overcomes any moments that may seem a bit contrived. Visually it succeeds in capturing Mexican art and culture and explores a gentler, more optimistic side of Mexican culture that has not been brought out in other films. This is an enjoyable film well suited to uplifting a dreary afternoon. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys music or Hispanic culture.

I just saw the film. I rented it on Netflix. John Leguizamo has never looked better. Or younger. He's always amazing, no matter what he does, whether it's his own stand-up comedy or Shakespeare. It was nice to see him branch out even further into the realm of music playing a Mexican musician who moves to LA to fulfill his dream. Overall, I thought the film was an excellent first effort by writer/director Renee Chabria. She did the Latin music industry a great service by exposing all those wonderful musicians. The film is ultimately about music and one's devotion to that gift, so I appreciated the impressive diversity of the musicians featured (Zoe, Ely Guerra, Jumbo, Jose Jose). Once you realize it's all about the music, you forgive that the convenient love-story falls short of compelling. Elizabeth Pena is refreshing as Mirabela, and I hope to see Ana Claudia Talancon in future roles. There should really be a soundtrack for this film.