How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer (2005)

Director:

Georgina Riedel

Writer:

Georgina Riedel (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Three generations of women in a Mexican American family experience sexual awakenings over the course of a summer. |

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Elizabeth Peña	...	Lolita
America Ferrera	...	Blanca
Lucy Gallardo	...	Dona Genoveva
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eliana Alexander	...	Nora
David Barrera	...	Sal's Uncle
Steven Bauer	...	Victor Reyes
Alek Carrera	...	Soap Opera Actor
Ana Cervantes	...	Doña Loda
Jorge Cervera	...	Don Pedro
Patricia De Leon	...	Soap Opera Actress
Marina Dena-Santo	...	Cuka
Alyssa Diaz	...	Rose
Ricki Lopez	...	Father Miguel
Leo Minaya	...	Sal
Alberto Montero	...	Freddie
Alberto Montero	...	Freddie
Ruben Moreno	...	Old Man
Rick Najera	...	Jose Luis
Marina Dena Santo	...	Cucka
Jane Sevilla	...	Carla
Perla Walters	...	Nena
Victor Wolf	...	Oswaldo

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content and some language.

Runtime:

Argentina:128 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente) | USA:128 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA

i totally disagree with the majority of what's being said here

I normally don't write reviews but after reading some of the negative things about HOW THE GARCIA GIRLS SPENT THEIR SUMMER I felt inclined to say something. I've seen this film twice now. Once at Sundance and then more recently at the Latino Internation Film Festival. Both times I can't help but get caught up in the sheer scope of the film. Normally scope is applied to a movie that covers a ton of different locations and makes the audience think that they've wandered the globe. That's not what this scope is. The scope here (and maybe that's the wrong word) is that the audience feels like we're part of this small town. We feel it's inner workings, we feel what life is like there, like we live there (not unlike what LONESTAR felt like.) It's fully imagined and is a total compliment to Riedel's strength as a director. Yes, the film isn't conventional as in it doesn't lay out everything in a tight, conventional structure...but I don't think that it's meant to. I think it was meant to again, let the audience get a taste of this small town, let us see what it feels like so when the characters in this film start to experience love, we feel how much it means to them because we live there too. Because it's the little things in life that make us happy, change us...and that's what this film is about and does so well. It shows us all this, but in a realistic way. In a way that US audiences aren't used to being shown. It's a strong vision with good writing, good acting, and a lot of heart. That's not say that it's an art movie either that's going to bore you. Because it doesn't. What it does is transport you to a definite time and place and does so in an entertaining way. Seriously. The humour here is great and again, dealt with in a realistic way, so that when things happen, we can relate. At least I could. And so could the two audiences I saw it with. People complain about not having any real movies, movies that aren't cookie cutter, and that are different. This is all of the above and something that I think most people would enjoy if they just give it a shot.