Brooks' 'Spanglish' ranks among best films of 2004

“Terms of Endear-ment,” “Broadcast News,” “I’ll Do Anything” and “As Good As It Gets” are all great movies.

Even without these achievements in direction, Brooks maintains a revered place in popular culture. He developed and produced such iconic TV shows as “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and its spin-offs, “Taxi,” “The Tracey Ullman Show” and the longest running sitcom on TV, “The Simpsons.”

Brooks’ TV credentials go back to 1960 when – at the age of 20 – he wrote for “The Andy Griffith Show” and “My Three Sons.” He also wrote for “My Mother the Car,” but we all have some skeletons in our closets.

One of Brooks’ most alluring traits is his ability to capture the female perspective. This praise may sound ineffectual coming from a male film critic, but my wife – who knows more about movies than anyone I know – brought the subject up to me.

Looking back on Brooks’ finest work, it’s pretty obvious. “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” was a groundbreaking series featuring an empowered, single woman. “Terms of Endearment” was a mother/daughter-driven film, and even “The Simpsons” has strong female role models from the ever “this will all work out” Marge to the brilliant and sensitive Lisa to the “wise-beyond-her-year” Maggie.

With “Spanglish,” Brooks has shown once again that he can focus a story from the female point of view.

Adam Sandler, the biggest star in the film, has nearly topped himself from his role in “Punch Drunk Love.” He’s the only male character in “Spanglish” and willingly takes a back seat to the four female leads in the film, all of whom give fantastic performances.

The film is told through the eyes of, and narrated by, Cristina (Shelbie Bruce) who recounts the tale of moving from Mexico to Los Angeles with her mom, Flor.

Flor is played by Paz Vega, a drop-dead gorgeous beauty who also is a top-notch actress. She takes a job as a housekeeper for the Clasky family.

Deborah (Tea Leoni) is the mom, a recently unemployed overachiever. John (Sandler) is the dad, a world-renowned chef who really doesn’t want to be world-renowned.

They have a daughter, Bernie (Sarah Steele), who is battling her weight, but most of the “weight” she bears is from mom.

Also on hand is Cloris Leachman (a Brooks alum from the “Mary Tyler Moore” days) as Deborah’s alcoholic mom.

Flor doesn’t speak a word of English but manages to get by. Cristina helps her translate and becomes a bigger fixture in the story when Deborah decides the family needs to take a summer home on the beachfront. This entails Flor and Cristina moving in with the Claskys.

John takes a liking to Flor (it would be impossible not to), and Deborah “adopts” Cristina in a way that makes several of the parties involved uncomfortable.

In the second act, Flor’s goal is to learn English so she can communicate with her employers.

Vega, who really doesn’t speak much English, captures this nuance of the film perfectly. She is entirely believable.

As Flor grows more proficient in communication – and as Deborah’s obsession with Cristina grows – balances begin to shift.

The sexual tension between John, Deborah and Flor drives the film along through the last act, but Brooks never takes the film to the obvious place you think it will go.

Tea Leoni (never one to take herself too seriously) has the best “pleasure” scene since Meg Ryan’s much-heralded restaurant showstopper in “When Harry Met Sally.” It’s one of the film’s many hilarious – and still poignant – moments.

Young Steele as the overweight, entirely sweet Bernie nearly steals the show. But all of the performances are so well-acted it becomes a toss-up as to who’s doing the best job.

Leachman is hilarious, Leoni is unnerving, Bruce is heartwarming, and Vega is captivating.

It’s a great ensemble cast.

Ensembles with such a wide age range can be tricky, but obviously, Brooks has a way with women. The proof is on the screen.

“Spanglish” is one of the best films of the year.

Jim Wunderle owns Wunderle Sound Services and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.