Luminarias

This movie is a heart-warming story about four latina women who value friendship and love. It's a well written story that tells it like it is in dealing with everyday struggles of life. Which makes it so realistic because it touches on relationships,self-identities and self-esteem. The story is so real involving interracial relationships, dealing with discrimination and trying to find themselves all in one. It's a must see movie for all people who like drama,love and laughter. Guaranteed for all women to enjoy as well as men.

In US there is a large variety of Mexicans, particularly in California. There you find Mexican legal and illegal emigrants, and US citizens of Mexican origin called Chicanos by the Americans or Pochos by the same Mexicans. Chicanos normally speak well Spanish, at least 80% of them, and behave as Mexicans in their way of lives. This film shows the behavior of four Chicano ladies, their dreams, their wishes, always trying to live well as Americans but also dreaming to have a hot lover or husband able to dance and to enjoy as they do. I found this film interesting because many of Latinos are like these ladies and they want to live well but eating tacos and tortillas, drinking tequila and having hot sex with their lovers or husbands, no matter if they are not US citizens. May be the film could have done better technically, but its message was clear to me, but may not be the same for non Latino population.

Though some of the acting was a little stiff, the situations and dialogue were genuine and a pleasure to experience. Not only are the situations relatable, the characters are people that you know. Scott Bakula, always fantastic, is a treasure in this picture. The music is varied and wonderful. I rarely purchase movies for my permanent collection, but this is one I will be adding. The story holds up. The writing is outstanding. DVD extras round out the fun. As for a previous comment regarding how the characters speak depending upon who they are with - who doesn't do that? When we speak with our elders and our employers, a certain level of respect and sentence structure is required. When we talk with our friends, casually in a group over a beer, the language needn't be so structured.

"Luminarias" tells of four middle-aged, middle class Latina best friends, Mexican-American women, who meet at the title restaurant in L.A. periodically for conversation. Andrea (Frenandez), a lawyer, is the centerpiece of this slice-of-latin-life flick and also the playwright. A mediocre film as films go, "Luminarias" deals with issues of family, ethnicity, romance, and more as it wanders around the genres from sitcom-like comedy to more serious drama, uncertain of its purpose but unabashedly delivering heartfelt entertainment regardless. Should appeal most to Mex-Am females. C

Note - If we can trust the IMDB.com stats, this is a real love it or hate it flick with over 1/4 scoring it a 1 and over 1/4 giving it a 10 and everyone else scattered in between.

It was funny and I enjoyed it. I have sat at tables with a group of Latinas and heard similar comments. This movie was about a group of friends whose commonality was their ethnicity. The ladies were letting loose and having fun. And as an audience participant, I was having fun watching them.

I had to disagree with the other reviewer. Just because a woman is a "professional" doesn't mean that she has to use the lingo of her trade all the time. And have heard "professionals" who, away from the job, revert back to their comfort speech. That is what these ladies were doing.