"Real Women Have Curves" is a smart, colorful new film about a first generation Latina coming of age in the United States. Like most 18-year-olds, Ana (America Ferrera) has a lot of issues to sort out, most of all her relationship with her cruel and overbearing mother, Carmen. (Lupe Ontiveros)
"It is because I love you that I make your life so miserable," she says.
Although Ana earns excellent grades in high school, Carmen forbids her to accept a full scholarship to Columbia, forcing her to "stay with the family" in East L.A. and work in her sister Estela's (Ingrid Oliu) fledgling dress factory instead.
Although Ana's mother is unsupportive -- relentlessly nagging Ana about her weight, her posture and her choices -- as well as crazy -- she thinks she's pregnant when she's going through menopause -- the men in this movie are wonderful, breaking the stereotype of macho, emotionless Latino men.
Ana's teacher, Mr. Guzman (Geroge Lopez), tries to convince her old world parents that Ana should go to college. Her father (Jorge Cevera, Jr.) and grandfather (Felipe De Alba) are both sympathetic and treat her like an intelligent young woman: Her father loans her money to help a friend and her grandfather covers for her so she can go on a date with her warm and honest Anglo boyfriend, Jimmy (Brian Sites).
But her mother still wears the pantalones, and Ana finds herself ironing dresses in her sister's small, sweltering factory. She isn't quiet about it though.
In one scene she reminds her hard-working sister that they are paid $18 for a dress sold at Bloomingdale's for $600. She also complains about the heat and eventually strips down to her underwear in protest. Her mother is mortified, but surprisingly, her coworkers join her for a wonderful scene where a posse of heavy-set, underwear-clad women compare cellulite and finally accept their full figures.
With a feel-good ending, coming-of-age issues and lots of close-up shots of the actors, the film has a sophisticated TV movie feel. But because the acting is superb, and the storyline isn't contrived, it comes off as accessible rather than dumbed-down.
Directed by Patricia Cardosa, this film explodes with Latino culture, from brightly painted buildings to festive music to expressive people. However, although set in a Mexican-American world and with a cast of female lead characters, this heartwarming movie is universal in concept.
"Real Women Have Curves" opens Fri., Dec. 20 at Landmark's Downer Theatre.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
