Minha Família

I really enjoyed this movie. If you know anything about Mexican culture, it should really make you laugh! Of course, it also has its moments of tragedy but somehow everything ends up being okay. I liked it! It's definitely a movie that makes you feel!

Esai Morales, Chucho, does an excellent job! I think it's some of the best acting I've ever seen him do.

I hope you see it!

This year for Cinco de Mayo I made pico de gallo, fresh guacamole, homemade soft tacos and a mango dessert...I couldn't think of a better film to share with my husband, who had never seen it, than Mi Familia. This is the film that won me over to Jimmy Smits, prior to seeing Mi Familia years ago I was not a big fan...and then I watched the clinic that he put on during this film and have been a fan ever since.

Mi Familia is loaded with star power...Edward James Olmos, Esai morales and Jimmy Smits...and that is just the men, young Maria is initially played by Jennifer Lopez and eventually by the phenomenal actress Jenny Gago. For me the most memorable storyline is between Jimmy (Jimmy Smits) and his wife Isabel (Elpidia Carillo)...they were both phenomenal, bonding over their shared stories of pain and loss.

This is an epic tale of three generations of one Mexican American family and it begins with the voyage (mainly on foot) of Jose from the heart of Mexico to his distant relative nicknamed El California, because when he was born his house was in Mexico...but now his home is officially in California. The story is narrated by Edward James Olmos, who plays the eldest son of Jose and wants to be a writer. Jose lives in East LA with El California and goes to work on the west side as a gardener where he meets Maria who is the nanny for a wealthy family. Maria and Jose don't have a lot but they are happy growing Beans in the front and corn in the back of their modest home which grows with their family as they have a son and then a daughter. During her third pregnancy Maria is picked up by INS and deported to the middle of Mexico, even though she was born and raised in America. Maria delivers their third child, a son named Chucho, in Mexico and then journeys on foot back to Jose and their home...a process that took two years! Jose and Maria end up with three more children after that Tina, Memo and the youngest Jimmy.

Without ruining the film their stories include gang violence, death, a restaurant, a lawyer, a nun, marriage, children, activism, jail and dancing!

I loved the storytelling aspects of this film and the Mexican folklore...but one of the best parts is the little window into history.

This is a wonderful story that has stood up to the test of time. I highly recommend watching it and I enjoyed it tremendously for our themed evening.

'My Family' is a compelling tale spanning three generations about a family of Mexican origin living in Los Angeles. It starts with the father of the family, Jose Sanchez (terrifically played by Jacob Vargas), making a one year journey on foot from Mexico to Los Angeles. Once there, he meets and marries the love of his life, Maria (Jennifer Lopez, in an interesting performance). After, Maria survives a tragic separation from her husband, they both settle down in Los Angeles and raise a family of six.

There is a tremendous amount of expectation here, namely because Francis Ford Coppola, who crafted arguably the most exhilarating family saga in the Godfather pictures, is an executive producer. But, My Family is nowhere near in the same league as films like 'The Godfather'. Rather, 'My Family' turns out to be a great film that could have been better. One glaring flaw is in the script written by Gregory Nava and Anna Thomas. Too often, the script relies on tragedies to stir our emotions. Consequently, the emotion presented in the film feels fake at times. Particularly, in the scenes involving Jimmy attempting to bond with his only son, Carlitos.

Despite the missteps in the film, there are many positives to draw upon. The strong performances of the cast. Jimmy Smits, in particular, dominates the film with an intense and yet affecting performance. The film hardly ever succumbs to being a standard tear-jerker or phony. Instead, the film succeeds at creating a touching and provocative portrait of a family's struggles and tribulations in a world that hardly seems just.

Rating: (8/10)

This one hit close to home with me, especially with the characters. Chucho is a fun character that seemed to just be chased by bad luck, and some Hispanics, especially the older ones, are extremely superstitious. But it was funny how close the Chucho character was to the character that same actor played on "La Bamba." And Jimmy... well, that character brings so many memories of one of my cousins life... who has been in and out of prison... he's crude, rude, and can be ruthless, but will help you any way he can, especially if you're family. As a filmmaker, I'm hoping to bring a non-integrated part 2 to this, but the background of the adventure of my lineage is exciting on both father and mother's side. It'll be filled with the unexplained, the pain and drama, Spanish royal connections, and treasure.... which still remains hidden to this day.

Paco (Edward James Olmos) recounts three generations of his Mexican-American family. His father José Sanchez walked to L.A. where he marries his mother Maria. During the Great Depression in 1933, Maria is forcibly deported despite being a citizen. She is pregnant and Chucho is born in Mexico. It took her two years to return. In the late 50s, the large family is starting to clash. José kicks out his rebellious son Chucho (Esai Morales) out of the home. Chucho gets into trouble and killed by the police. Paco served in the Navy. Twenty more years later, youngest son Jimmy (Jimmy Smits) gets out of prison for armed robbery. Daughter Toni has left the nunnery and married priest David Ronconi (Scott Bakula). They're concerned about Salvadoran refugee Isabel.

The movie can feel a little rambling stretching out over such a long time period centering on the various characters. Each section has a compelling story. The first section is the epic journey for Jennifer Lopez. The second part is Esai Morales and the third is Jimmy Smits. Together, it paints a grand portrait of an American family.