Cast: America Ferrera, Lupe Ontiveros, Ingrid Oliu, George Lopez, Brian Sites
Director: Patricia Cardoso
Producers: Effie Brown, George LaVoo
Screenplay: George LaVoo and Josephina Lopez, based on the play by Lopez
Cinematography: Jim Denault
Music: Emma Garcia de Mantilla, Heitor Pereira
U.S. Distributor: Newmarket Film Group
Real Women Have Curves sounds more like the slogan for a plus-size women's clothing store than it does the title of a motion picture. A solid chick flick that struck a big-time chord with the frozen audiences at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival, Real Women Have Curves has been targeted by Newmarket as the next My Big Fat Greek Wedding. (Note: a few years ago, every potentially endearing independent film was being trumpeted as "the next Full Monty"; now, it's "the next My Big Fat Greek Wedding".) However, although Real Women Have Curves is undeniably a crowd-pleaser, I'm not convinced it has the same degree of broad-based appeal as My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Ana (America Ferrera) is an 18 year-old second generation Mexican American living in Los Angeles. She's an excellent student – good enough, in fact, that her English teacher, Mr. Guzman (George Lopez), believes that she has a chance for a scholarship to a good college. But Ana's mother, Carmen (Lupe Ontiveros), is against Ana continuing her education – she wants her youngest daughter to work at a dress-making shop run by her eldest daughter, Estela (Ingrid Oliu). Ana agrees, albeit reluctantly and petulantly. She still dreams of college and freedom from her mother – dreams that grow stronger when she begins a fling with an Anglo classmate, Jimmy (Brian Sites).
Real Women Have Curves does little to hide its primary, female-empowerment theme: that a woman should be judged by the quality of her mind and thoughts, not by how closely her body matches the so-called "ideal". Certainly, it's a laudable stance for a movie to take, but director Patricia Cardoso and writer Josephina Lopez become too strident in their advocacy of it. One of the film's big payoff scenes – in which the women working in Estela's shop strip down to their underwear to proclaim that they're comfortable with their less-than-perfect bodies – is contrived and over-the-top. A sequence this clunky doesn't belong in a movie that is otherwise nicely structured and developed. We have gotten the point long before this.
At the core of the movie is Ana's tempestuous relationship with her mother. Carmen, who sees any form of "progress" as evil, wants her daughter to follow in her footsteps: find a man, get married, and have children. She criticizes Ana's weight because she believes that a fat girl won't be able to catch a husband. She is adamantly opposed to further education for Ana because that would take the girl away from home. There's also probably some sublimated jealousy here, with Carmen being envious of all of Ana's opportunities – opportunities she never had.
For Ana's part, living with her mother is stifling her. She recognizes that Carmen manipulates her life, and is resentful of it. She sees a college education as the way to broaden her horizons – a sentiment that is shared by her father, grandfather, and teachers. Once it becomes clear that Carmen will not change, Ana comes to the sad conclusion that she may be forced to chose between her mother and her future. One of the reasons the film resonates is that the final break of independence is something every individual must face, regardless of the family relationship.
At Sundance, Lupe Ontiveros and America Ferrera earned deserved acting awards. Ontiveros ensures that Carmen comes across not as cold and domineering, but as a deeply conflicted woman who loves her daughter but is frightened of what the future holds. Ferrera uses her talent to form Ana into a vibrant young woman who is comfortable with her mind, her body, and her sexuality, and who isn't afraid to make a difficult decision, even if it hurts her loved ones. The third primary member of the cast is Ingrid Oliu, whose Estela is bowed but not beaten by a world that seeks to steal her dreams. The male actors all have supporting roles, but, for once, this is a feminist motion picture where men are not demonized. In fact, without exception, they are presented in a positive light.
Real Women Have Curves is loosely based on a play by Josephina Lopez (who co-wrote the screenplay). The most significant difference between the stage version and the theatrical one is the importance of Ana. There is no question that the movie is about her, whereas, in the play, the character does not exist. This alteration results in a different, but strong, telling of the tale. Ana is a vivid, vibrant individual and the movie's focus upon her makes it successful and accessible.
© 2002 James Berardinelli