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My Family (1995) 7.3
This epic film traces over three generations an immigrant family's trials, tribulations, tragedies and triumphs. Jose and Maria, the first generation, come to Los Angeles, meet, marry, face... See full summary » Director:Gregory Nava |
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Title: My Family (1995)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Edward James Olmos | ... |
Paco
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Rafael Cortes | ... |
Roberto
(as Rafael Cortes)
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Ivette Reina | ... |
Trini
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Amelia Zapata | ... |
Roberto's Girlfriend
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| Jacob Vargas | ... |
Young Jose
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Emilio Del Haro | ... |
Oxcart Driver
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Abel Woolrich | ... |
Oxcart Driver
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| León Singer | ... |
El Californio
(as Leon Singer)
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| Rosalee Mayeux | ... |
Maria's Employer
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| Jennifer Lopez | ... | ||
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Alicia del Lago | ... |
Maria's Aunt
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| Thomas Rosales Jr. | ... |
The Boatman
(as Thomas Rosales)
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Anthony Gonzalez | ... |
Baby Paco
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Michael Gonzalez | ... |
Little Paco
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| Esai Morales | ... |
Chucho
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
This epic film traces over three generations an immigrant family's trials, tribulations, tragedies and triumphs. Jose and Maria, the first generation, come to Los Angeles, meet, marry, face deportation all in the 1930s. They establish their family in East L.A., and their children Chucho, Paco, Memo, Irene, Toni, and Jimmy deal with youth culture and the L.A. police in the 1950s. As the second generation become adults in the 1960s, the focus shifts to Jimmy, his marriage to Isabel (a Salvadorian refugee), their son, and Jimmy's journey to becoming a responsible parent. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
Plot Keywords:
marriage | death in childbirth | death of wife | topless female nudity | bare breasts |Taglines:
Three generations of dreams. See more »Genres:
DramaMotion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated R for strong language, some graphic violence and a scene of sexuality | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
3 May 1995 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Cafe con leche See more »Box Office
Budget:
$5,500,000 (estimated)Gross:
$11,079,373 (USA)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
Color
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Written by Spooner Oldham (as Linden Oldham) and Dan Penn
Performed by James and Bobby Purify
Used by permission of Screen Gems-EMI Music Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Courtesy of Arista records
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Jennifer Lopez, Edward James Olmos, Constance Marie, Jacob Vargas, and Lupe Ontiveros later worked together again in the autobiography of the late Tejano singer Selena. See more »Goofs
When Isabella is at the Sanchez home, we see a medium shot of Paco with a bowl of popcorn, and Memo. In front of them is a tray of taquitos. But a minute or two later, Irene brings out the same tray and sets it down on the coffee table in front of them. See more »Quotes
Maria: [Maria, stunned at Toni's insistence that Jimmy marry Isabel and Toni's audacity] You young people-! You think that you know everything. That nobody's ever lived before you. Don't you think that *I* know how it feels to be picked up by La Migra and sent away? Without ever seeing *my* family? Without ever knowing what will happen? Do you want to teach *me* something about survival? Well, let me tell you this: there are certain things in life that are sacred- sagradas - and we don't spit on them. ...See more »
Soundtracks
I'm Your PuppetWritten by Spooner Oldham (as Linden Oldham) and Dan Penn
Performed by James and Bobby Purify
Used by permission of Screen Gems-EMI Music Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Courtesy of Arista records
See more »
'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)