Quinceañera (2006) Movie Review

Quinceañera (2006) Movie Credits:

richcline's score:
4 out of 5

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Quinceañera (2006) U.S. Cinema Release Date:

2^nd Aug 2006

Quinceañera (2006) U.K. Cinema Release Date:

14^th Jul 2006

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Quinceañera (2006) Synopsis:

"Quinceañera" is a look at what happens when teenage sexuality, age-old rituals, and real estate prices collide. It is a reinvention of Kitchen Sink drama, fueled by the racial, class, and sexual tensions of a Latino neighborhood in transition. Magdalena (Emily Rios) is the daughter of a Mexican-American family who runs a storefront church in Echo Park, Los Angeles. With her fifteenth-birthday approaching, all she can think about is her boyfriend, her Quinceañera dress, and the Hummer Limo she hopes will carry her on her special day. But a few months before the celebration, Magdalena falls pregnant. As the elaborate preparations for her Quinceañera proceed, it is only a matter of time before her religious father finds out and rejects her. Forced out of her home, Magdalena moves in with great-great uncle Tomas (Chalo Gonzalez), an old man who makes his living selling champurrado (a Mexican hot drink) in the street. Already living with him is Carlos (Jesse Garcia), Magdalena's cousin, a tough cholo who was thrown out by his parents. Carlos does not disguise his disapproval of Magdalena's arrival. The back house rental where Tomas has lived happily for many years is on a property that was recently purchased by an affluent white gay couple (David W. Ross and Jason L. Wood) � pioneers of gentrification in the neighborhood. Inevitably, worlds collide when they become entangled in the lives of their tenants. As Magdalena's pregnancy grows more visible, she, Carlos, and Tomas pull together as a family of outsiders. But the economics of the neighborhood are turning against them. Ultimately, this precipitates a crisis that threatens their way of life.

Quinceañera (2006) Review:

Glatzer and Westmoreland shift gears rather dramatically after their last feature, The Fluffer, for this superbly realistic Los Angeles teen drama.

For Magdalena (Rios), her quinceañera (15th birthday) is one of the biggest days of her life. But her parents (Guzman-Rico and Castanos) can't afford the opulent event her cousin (Sixtos) had. And her boyfriend (Iniguez) won't admit that maybe they went a little too far. When her father has a meltdown, her bolthole is the home of Uncle Tomas (Gonzalez), who has already taken in wayward cousin Carlos (Garcia)--gang member, thief, drug-taker, and now he's sleeping with the new upscale landlords (Ross and Wood).

There's a superb sense of time and place here, as the filmmakers really capture the Echo Park community, with its Latino roots and rising trendiness. They're unafraid to tell it like it is, subtly examining economic issues, religious ideals and teen sexuality without exploiting them. The dialog slides easily back and forth between Spanish and English (with superb subtitles). And even though some of the plot threads seem to pop up or vanish a little conveniently, the film really finds its voice as a powerful central theme emerges: love without judgment.

Much of the film feels like a slice of community life, shot with a bracing realism that's documentary-like in its raw authenticity. The entire cast is superb, catching telling details in their interaction, and making the most of the straightforward dialog, which often sounds improvised. It's impossible to pick a standout; there's not a weak link in the ensemble. They're so offhanded and natural that it's like they're not acting at all; the grit and humour feel completely true.

And Glatzer and Westmoreland also finely balance the tone, with moments of sharp comedy, intense drama and aching emotion as they parallel Carlos' and Magdalena's journeys. This approach helps the filmmakers find real resonance in the characters and situations, and it lets us feel the emotions in a surprisingly strong way. When the core issue emerges, the film packs a very strong punch. This is a compact, finely focused little gem.