Real Women Have Curves
by Patricia Cardoso
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DVD details
Actor: America Ferrera, Brian Sites, George Lopez, Ingrid Oliu, Lupe OntiverosDirector: Patricia Cardoso
Brand: Warner Brothers
Cinematographer: Jim Denault
Editor: Sloane Klevin
Producer: Effie Brown
Producer: George LaVoo
Writer: George LaVoo
Producer: Marilyn R. Atlas
Writer: Josefina Lopez
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language); Spanish (Original Language); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 90 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-09-06
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Hbo Home Video
DVD Reviews of Real Women Have Curves
DVD Review: and don't eat that flan !!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Real Women Have Curves is a charming coming of age story set in East Los Angeles with a wonderful cast; the acting is very convincing as well. The plot moves along at an excellent pace. I can honestly say that they edited it extremely well; there's not too much here that could have been cut and that's a rarity! The cinematography and the choreography shine throughout the movie as well.
When the action starts, we quickly meet 18 year old Ana Garcia (America Ferrera) who lives at home with her working class family in East Los Angeles. Ana has a sister Estela (Ingrid Oliu) who runs a small factory making dresses for just a few pennies on the dollar; and their mother Carmen (Lupe Ontiveros) works in Estela's factory. They call it a "factory;" but it's really just a sweatshop at best. Ana gets along fairly well with her father and she's especially close with her kindly old grandfather (Felipe de Alba); but Ana's mother Carmen is a neurotic hopelessly rooted in the past. Carmen dreams up fantasies of being pregnant at age 52; and she complains that Ana is just not like her. Carmen and Ana do not get along. Moreover, Ana has dreams of breaking out of the working class cycle of barely living paycheck to paycheck to make something of herself. Specifically, Ana wants to go to college where she can meet new people and learn exciting new things.
High school ends for Ana; and as the summer goes by Ana must slowly but surely square off with her parents--and especially her mother Carmen-about college. Her high school professor Mr. Guzman (George Lopez) believes in her and Guzman even uses his political connections to get Ana a full scholarship to Columbia University in New York City. But when Mr. Guzman tells the family of this development, he is practically kicked out of their house without any thanks whatsoever--and things between Ana and her mother Carmen really start to heat up.
Of course, there is more. Ana becomes romantically involved with Jimmy (Brian Sites), a young guy from her high school graduating class. Ana and Jimmy date and more things happen. How will Ana's mother Carmen ever be able to handle all this? In addition, Estela's workshop is running very low on cash. After three women of the already much too small staff suddenly quit, how will the dressmakers ever be able to meet their quotas on time if they are to get any pay at all from the distributors?
What happens after all this? Will Ana ever be able to convince her stubborn, old-world mother Carmen that college is actually what's best for her? What about Ana's relationship with her grandfather--when the chips are down, will Ana abandon him? Will Ana and Jimmy have a future together? Watch and find out!
The DVD comes with a few extras. There is an additional scene of Ana one year later; and we get two commentaries. There are two versions of a featurette about the movie; one is in English and the other is in Spanish.
Real Women Have Curves showcases the fantastic talents of these marvelous actors; and hopefully young women will be inspired by Ana's story and reach high to achieve their dreams. This is a fine movie that also deals with coming of age issues; and for all these reasons I highly recommend this film.
DVD Review: A Good Try
Summary: 3 Stars
This movie had a good idea for a story, but did not follow through on many aspects. The main character is a high school graduate who is not going to college, because of her family (she needs to stay behind and help them, though only the mother seems to believe this, so it does not seem to be too much of a problem). Like the college "problem" many of the problems in the plot are seemingly easy to fix and or not explained, fixed, and instead, are just accepted. She has to work at her sister's sweat shop for the summer, first she is angry, but she does nothing to not work there, nor does she really help out the family situation, either. Her sister makes her a pretty dress, but the audience never gets to see her in it. The whole movie seems anti-climatic, but puts emphasis on areas that seem as if they are climatic. Certain scenes are drawn out with music and scenery, which take up minutes of the movie's time and have no real purpose, for any meaning I can take for them further pull away from the movie actually have a core point instead of many random bits with no real purpose.
The movie was bleh. The acting in it was good, for the most part. George Lopez was slightly unbelievable as a serious teacher. The sets and props were interesting, better than expected. The music was a bit ridiculous at points, following the script except lyrically in Spanish.
I did appreciate the idea of real women having curves, and the message of women wanting to be seen for more than their looks. They want to be seen as capable without just being in a position because of their face. One scene reminded me of the new Dove commercials where any woman can be beautiful. But, I still feel than there is the whole health issue, too, and to purposefully go against the pure and beautiful aspect to make yourself the opposite does nothing but hurt yourself in the long-run and is a self-destructive behavior (but that could just be my opinion). I like the idea of liking yourself for who you are, but at times the main character seemed to be unhappy with herself and that was not addressed, though her behavior showed the opposite.
Overall, I felt the movie tried too hard to do too much and pretty much failed. I gave it three stars, because there were parts I did enjoy. But, I will not willingly attempt to watch this movie again or recommend it for someone to watch if they have nothing better to do.
DVD Review: Fantastic!
Summary: 5 Stars
I love this movie, it's become one of my favorite movies to watch. America Ferrera is a great actress in movies and on T.V. such as Ugly Betty.DVD Review: Real Women Have Curves
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie is so great! I absolutley love it! One of America Ferrera's best films, and all the other actors are fabulous as well!DVD Review: PATRICIA CARDOSO, OPUS 1
Summary: 4 Stars
**** 2002. Based on Josefina Lopez's Real Women Have Curves, this film was directed by the Colombian director Patricia Cardoso. Two prizes in Sundance. Los Angeles. Ana has just finished high school. As though she's got the opportunity to go to a famous university, her family wants her to work in her sister's factory as a dressmaker. This dramatic comedy is a little jewel of sensibility. You won't find in it serious thoughts about integration in the U.S. but rather light commentaries about life as it is. Highly recommended.
Description of Real Women Have Curves
A $6 million box office theatrical run followed awards and acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival. Should Ana leave home, go to college and experience life? Or stay home, get married, and keep working in her sister's struggling garment factory? It may seem like an easy decision, but for 18 year-old Ana, every choice she makes this summer will change her life. Right now, she may be making clothes for less shapely women. But Ana is about to discover that real women take chances, have flaws, embrace life, and above all have curves!While My Big Fat Greek Wedding broke box-office records in 2002, Real Women Have Curves did a better job of keeping it real. Set in the vibrant environs of East Los Angeles, with a breakthrough performance by Latina newcomer America Ferrera, this comedic drama takes a familiar subject--a bright teenager struggling to define her identity--and turns it into an authentic celebration of feminine empowerment. Eighteen-year-old Ana (Ferrera) has scholarship potential, her first boyfriend, and a chubby figure that her similarly overweight mother (Lupe Ontiveros, perfectly cast) won't stop harping about. Mom insists that Ana work in her sister's dressmaking sweatshop, continuing a family tradition that can only break her spirit. How Ana defies this fate--and how director Patricia Cardoso captures the proud tenacity of several full-figured seamstresses--is what makes this film (adapted from a play by Josefina Lopez) so uniquely refreshing. Greek Wedding made more money, but Real Women--which is just as funny--makes a lot more sense. --Jeff Shannon
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