A mi madre le gustan las mujeres

Sofia is the loving mother of three daughters, a concert pianist, and a lesbian -- in that order.

Her recent discovery of her lesbian sexuality, and her relationship with Eliska, an illegal alien from the Czech Republic, is almost incidental to the film. It is certainly presented in a very matter-of-fact way, taken for granted as entirely natural and acceptable. It is not milked for titillation or homophobic humor.

In fact, despite this movie's title and marketing, the fact that Sofia likes women is merely the plot device that sets things in motion and drives the action of the film. (It is also the subject of the very catchy and bouncy title song.)

The real message here is that Sofia is totally in charge of every facet of her life -- something her three daughters emphatically are not. This is especially true of the middle daughter, Elvira. She is the heroine of "My Mother Likes Women".

Where Sofia is a creative artist, Elvira doubts her ability and keeps her first novel hidden in a drawer. Where Sofia is a passionate lover, Elvira screws up every relationship with a man, including her shrink.

By the end, however, Elvira learns to stand up for herself and go after what she wants in life -- and the audience stands up and cheers.