Sueño (2005) Reviews

• Entertaining and wonderfully sweet!

  yossarian1002006-01-22

  You know, if you put your heart into something, it usually turns out pretty well, and SUENO turns out pretty well. Very entertaining, with warm wonderfully sweet characters, lots of interesting music, and some pretty damn good fantasy dance numbers, especially for a low budget film. I enjoyed the freshness, the innocence, and the overall cheerfulness of this film, so much so I could easily overlook all the little mistakes that travel with not having enough money to work with. Anyway, movies like this are not about being technically correct. They're about telling a story and having a good time. Unless you're a serious Grinch, you'll have a good time. So, if you're seeking a 'feel good' movie and looking for entertainment, give SUENO a try. It's a toe tapper!

• review

  StardustElixer2006-03-26

  I just saw the film. I rented it on Netflix. John Leguizamo has never looked better. Or younger. He's always amazing, no matter what he does, whether it's his own stand-up comedy or Shakespeare. It was nice to see him branch out even further into the realm of music playing a Mexican musician who moves to LA to fulfill his dream. Overall, I thought the film was an excellent first effort by writer/director Renee Chabria. She did the Latin music industry a great service by exposing all those wonderful musicians. The film is ultimately about music and one's devotion to that gift, so I appreciated the impressive diversity of the musicians featured (Zoe, Ely Guerra, Jumbo, Jose Jose). Once you realize it's all about the music, you forgive that the convenient love-story falls short of compelling. Elizabeth Pena is refreshing as Mirabela, and I hope to see Ana Claudia Talancon in future roles. There should really be a soundtrack for this film.

• The Impossible Dream Meets Over the Rainbow

  gradyharp2006-01-19

  When film credits don't include the writer/s names, problems can be expected. This little candy-coated attempt to explore how 'dreams really do come true' is more a music video than a full fledged film, a project where obviously the money was spent on the graphics of the opening credits and the staged musical numbers rather than on the script. This is not a bad movie: it is just predictably trite and places lines in the mouths of some very fine actors that must have been an embarrassment to speak. Antonio (John Leguizamo, with lots of hair and none of his expected comedic edge) is a Mexican immigrant who lands in Los Angeles with his grandfather's philosophy to follow that dream ('Sueño') and believes he will find his major career in his music. Reality sets in immediately as he is forced to work in his uncle's Taco Stand and play his guitar and sing in sleazy deadbeat nightclubs. He meets a customer Nina (Ana Claudia Talancón) who dreams of becoming a veterinarian but is committed to caring for her ailing papa (Winston J. Rocha). Despite sweet Antonio's attempts to woo her, she remains adamant that she must devote her life to caring for papa. Next door to Anthony the apartment is occupied by Mirabella (Elizabeth Peña), a newly divorced, middle-aged pudgy ex-singer who does housekeeping and laundry to support her children while she dreams of once again becoming a star vocalist: again the heart of gold Antonio befriends her, hears her sing and insists she has great talent. Antonio is encouraged by a good-hearted 'manager' Rafael (Jsu Garcia) and is paired with three other musicians to form a group El Gran Colectivo with the hesitant Mirabella as vocalist. There is the requisite Music Group Competition where against all odds the group competes out of faith and devotion to each other and the old type of music. That everyone's dream comes true is no surprise at all: the plot is so thin that the audience knows from the start how everything will resolve 'in a land where troubles melt like lemon drops...'. The idea is sweet, the message is wholesome, and the strong cast does everything it can with the treacle of a script hampering them. But unless you have an appetite for candy and can wait for the occasional surrealism of the dream sequences, this venture may just put you in sugar overload. Grady Harp

• Sweet low budget film

  lastliberal2007-06-07

  I like John Leguizamo (Executive Decision, Moulin Rouge!,Land of the Dead), and he is really believable in this film. He seems to really take on the character of a young Mexican immigrant who just wants to play music. Elizabeth Pena (Lone Star, Rush Hour, Transamerica) was also very good as the singer who no longer believes in herself. Pena and Leguizamo support each other to the top. Having said that, this was more of a music video than a movie. Sure, there was the attraction between Leguizamo and Ana Claudia Talancón, and the fantasy dance they did was so hot I wanted a cigarette after watching it, but it was just a minor part of the film, which was 95% music. Nestor Serrano (Girls in Prison, City by the Sea) was also very good as the band's manager. And, I sure want to see more of Erica Munoz.

• Sweet, but needed better script ; Leguizamos tops/music great

  slkulick2007-10-13

  The movie was very sweet, but the script was out of the 1930s: Boy comes up from Mexico with music in his soul to make it here in the music world--meets up with obstacles--gets help along he way--falls in love--we get to hear some great music in the process--and, uh oh--he has to decide between fame on his own and what TRULY matters:his love for own music and sticking with his original band. Guess what? He makes the right choice..the band stays together..they win a big contest..he wins the hand of his sweetheart...guitars play in the background/the lead sings..and the movie gently ends. Unfortunately, all this happens as we've seen it happen hundreds of times before. So, even though the actors were good (and oh so earnest), and the music was great--it wasn't new enough for an adult audience to stick with. I think young adults would like it a lot, though--they haven't seen the plot before so the actors and their music would certainly entice them. John Leguizamo deserves a special mention. He stole the movie and was the reason that I watched it until the end--even though the plot was so banal.