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(More customer reviews)Spanning three generations, "My Family" ("Mi Familia" in Spanish) is fascinating account of one family's struggle to stay together and survive the mean streets of East Los Angeles. Narrated by Edward James Olmos ("Stand & Deliver"; television`s "Miami Vice"), the film centers on a Mexican-American family who want to achieve the American dream, however they face obstacles along the way.
The film, directed by Gregory Nava ("Selena") is an honorable, beautiful, and tragic masterpiece that captures the essence of what it is to be Latino in Southern California. Using realism and incorporating local and Mexican slang, Nava, along with writer Olmos provide the viewers with close yet a distant relationship with the family.
Many actors, including Scott Bakula ("American Beauty"; television`s "Quantum Leap"), Esai Morales ("La Bamba"; "Rapa Nui"), Michael DeLorenzo (television`s "NY Undercover") and Lupe Otinveros ("Selena") lend their wonderful artistic support to this film, however the real scene stealer here has to be Jimmy Smits ("Old Gringo"; television`s "NYPD Blue"), who plays younger brother Jimmy. Jimmy, who gets released from prison finds himself helping his sister, who was a former nun, in preventing the deportation of a young Salvadoran woman, who faces death if she was to return to war-stricken El Salvador. While he is coerced in marrying her, he believes it is only a short-term marriage. But when these two accidental-lovers get together and discover the beauty and support they lend to one another, love is here to stay. However all happy stories come with their tragic endings and Smits carries this film through most of its final stages with his effective acting.
Whether it is dealing with intercultural marriages, street gang violence, or the everyday fears many illegal immigrants face each day with deportation lurking around the corner in some cases, "My Family" is an excellent portrait of how important culture and family are among Latino households. This is a must see film for anyone interested in Latino Studies. An excellent film and an eternal classic, "My Family" is a stunning film that should be watched by all who want to understand the history, legacy, and contributions of America's fastest growing minority group.
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Item Name: My Family; Studio:New Line Home Video
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