my family movie essay

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors.

Now streaming on:

Gregory Nava's "My Family" is like a family dinner with everybody crowded around the table, remembering good times and bad, honoring those who went before, worrying about those still to come.

It is an epic told through the eyes of one family, the Sanchez family, whose father walked north to Los Angeles from Mexico in the 1920s, and whose children include a writer, a nun, an ex-convict, a lawyer, a restaurant owner, and a boy shot dead in his prime.

Their story is told in images of startling beauty and great overflowing energy; it is rare to hear so much laughter from an audience that is also sometimes moved to tears. Few movies like this get made because few filmmakers have the ambition to open their arms wide and embrace so much life. This is the great American story, told again and again, of how our families came to this land and tried to make it better for their children.

The story begins in the 1920s with a man named Jose Sanchez, who thinks it might take him a week or two to walk north from Mexico to "a village called Los Angeles," where he has a relative. It takes him a year.

The relative, an old man known as El Californio, was born in Los Angeles when it was still part of Mexico, and on his tombstone he wants it written, "and where I lie, it is still Mexico." El Californio lives in a small house in East Los Angeles, and this house, tucked under a bridge on a dirt street that still actually exists, becomes a symbol of the family, gaining paint, windows, extra rooms and a picket fence as the family grows.

Jose ( Jacob Vargas ) crosses the bridge to the Anglo neighborhoods to work as a gardener, and there he meets Maria ( Jennifer Lopez ), who works as a nanny. They are married and have two children and she is pregnant with a third in the Depression year of 1932, when government troops round her up with tens of thousands of other Mexican-Americans (most of them, like Maria, American citizens) and ship them in cattle cars to central Mexico, hoping that they will never return.

"This really happened," says the movie's narrator, Paco ( Edward James Olmos ), a writer who is telling the story of his family. But Maria fights her way back to her family, sheltering her baby in her arms.

As the action moves from the 1930s to the late 1950s, we meet all the children: Paco; Irene, on her wedding day; Toni, who becomes a nun; Memo, who wants to go to law school; Chucho, who is attracted to the street life, and little Jimmy ("whose late arrival came as a great surprise").

Nava, who is of Mexican-Basque ancestry, and his co-writer and producer (and wife), Anna Thomas , tell their stories in vivid sequences. Irene's wedding is interrupted by the arrival of a gang hostile to the hotheaded Chucho, and as they threaten each other, Paco tells us "it was the usual macho bull- - - -." But eventually Chucho will lose his life because of it, and little Jimmy, seeing him die, will be scarred for many years.

Toni, meanwhile, becomes a nun, goes to South America, gets "political," and comes home to present her family with a big surprise, in one of the many scenes that mix social commentary with humor. Memo (Enrique Castillo) does become a lawyer (and tells his Anglo in-laws that his name is "basically Spanish for "Bill").

In one of the movie's best sequences, Toni ( Constance Marie ), now an activist in L.A., becomes concerned by the plight of a young woman from El Salvador who is about to be deported and faces death because of the politics of her family. She persuades Jimmy ( Jimmy Smits ) to marry her and save her from deportation, and in a sequence that is first hilarious and later quite moving, Jimmy does.

(Instead of kissing the bride, he mutters "you owe me" ominously at his activist sister.) This relationship between Jimmy and Isabel ( Elpidia Carrillo ) leads to a love scene of great beauty, as they share their stories of pain and loss.

In the scenes set in the 1950s and 1980s, Jose and Maria are played by Eduardo Lopez Rojas and Jenny Gago . They wake up at night worrying about their children ("thank God for Memo going to law school," Paco says, "or they would have never gotten a night's sleep"). Jimmy, so tortured by the loss of his brother, is a special concern. But the family pulls together, and Paco observes, "In my home, the difference between a family emergency and a party wasn't that big." Nava, whose earlier films include the great " El Norte " (1984), which won an Oscar nomination for its screenplay, has an inspired sense of color and light, and his movie has a visual freedom you rarely see on the screen. Working with cinematographer Ed Lachman , he uses color filters, smoke, shafts of sunlight and other effects to make some scenes painterly with beauty and color - and he has used a painter, Patssi Valdez, to design the interior of the Sanchez home. The movie is not just in color, but in colors.

Through all the beauty, laughter and tears, the strong heart of the family beats, and everything leads up to a closing scene, between old Jose and Marie, that is quiet, simple, joyous and heartbreaking. Rarely have I felt at the movies such a sense of time and history, of stories and lessons passing down the generations, of a family living in its memories.

Their story is the story of one Mexican-American family, but it is also in some ways the story of all families. Watching it, I was reminded of my own family's legends and heroes and stray sheep, and the strong sense of home. "Another country?" young Jose says, when he is told where Los Angeles is. "What does that mean - `another country'?"

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

Now playing

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

Clint worthington.

The Fall Guy

Brian tallerico.

Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg

Marya e. gates.

Simon Abrams

Star Wars -- Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Monica Castillo

Film credits.

My Family (1995)

128 minutes

Edward James Olmos as Paco

Esai Morales as Chucho

Jimmy Smits as Jimmy

Directed by

• Gregory Nava

Produced by

• Anna Thomas

Latest blog posts

​Nocturnal Suburban Teen Angst Fantasia: Jane Schoenbrun on I Saw the TV Glow

A Preview of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival

Driven By Love and Necessity: An Interview With Lily Gladstone

I’ve Never Seen Anything Like It Before: Roger Corman (1926-2024)

There is NO AI content on this website. All content on TeachWithMovies.org has been written by human beings.

• FOR TEACHERS
• FOR PARENTS
• FOR HOME SCHOOL
• TESTIMONIALS
• SOCIAL MEDIA
• DMCA COMPLIANCE
• GRATUITOUS VIOLENCE
• MOVIES IN THE CLASSROOM
• PRIVACY POLICY
• U.S. HISTORY
• WORLD HISTORY
• SUBJECT MATTER
• APPROPRIATE AGE LEVEL
• MORAL/ETHICAL EMPHASIS
• SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING
• SNIPPETS & SHORT SUBJECTS
• MOVIES BY THE CALENDAR
• DOCUMENTARIES & NON-FICTION
• TALKING AND PLAYING WITH MOVIES: AGES 3-8
• TWM’S BEST TEACHING FILMS
• TALKING AND PLAYING WITH MOVIES
• SET-UP-THE-SUB
• ARTICLES & STUDENT HANDOUTS
• MOVIE PERMISSION SLIP
• MOVIE & TELEVISION WORKSHEETS
• MATHEMATICS
• EARTH SCIENCE
• ANY FILM THAT IS A WORK OF FICTION
• FILM ADAPTATIONS OF NOVELS, SHORT STORIES, OR PLAYS
• ANY FILM THAT IS A DOCUMENTARY
• ANY FILM THAT EXPLORES ETHICAL ISSUES
• ADAPTATION OF A NOVEL
• DOCUMENTARIES
• HERO’S JOURNEY
• SCIENCE FICTION
• WORK OF FICTION
• WORK OF HISTORICAL FICTION
• PERSUASIVE DOCUMENTARY
• FICTION (SOAPS, DRAMAS, AND REALITY/SURVIVAL SHOW)
• HISTORICAL FICTION
• INFORMATIONAL DOCUMENTARY
• NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS
• SEARCH [Custom]

MY FAMILY/MI FAMILIA

SUBJECTS — U.S. 1929 – 1991; Hispanic & California;

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING — Families in Crisis;

MORAL-ETHICAL EMPHASIS — Caring

AGE : 13+; MPAA Rating R for strong language, some graphic violence and a scene of sexuality ;

Drama; 1995, 128 minutes; Color. Available from Amazon.com .

Benefits of the Movie Possible Problems Parenting Points Selected Awards & Cast

Helpful Background Using the Movie in the Classroom Discussion Questions Assignments and Projects

CCSS Anchor Standards Bridges to Reading Links to the Internet Bibliography

DESCRIPTION

This is the story of Jose, Maria, and their children — two generations of an American family of Mexican descent who live in Los Angeles. “This is the great American story, told again and again, of how our families came to this land and tried to make it better for their children.” Rogert Ebert.

SELECTED AWARDS & CAST

Selected Awards: None.

Featured Actors: Edward James Olmos as Paco; Jenny Gago as Maria; Jennifer Lopez as Young Maria Eduardo López Rojas as Jose; Jacob Vargas as Young Jose; León Singer as El Californio; Esai Morales as Chucho; Jimmy Smits as Jimmy; Jonathan Hernandez Jonathan Hernandez as Young Jimmy; Constance Marie as Toni; Lupe Ontiveros as Irene; Maria Canals-Barrera as Young Irene; Enrique Castillo Enrique Castillo … Memo ‘Bill’ Mary Steenburgen Mary Steenburgen … Gloria

Director: Gregory Nava;

BENEFITS OF THE MOVIE

My Family/Mi Familia touches upon many of the important points in the history of Mexican immigration to the U.S. during the 20th Century.

Students will have a greater understanding of the Mexican-American experience.

POSSIBLE PROBLEMS

There is one tender love scene with nothing graphic and two violent deaths.

PARENTING POINTS

Watch the movie with your child and discuss the immigration history of your family or that of a family that you know.

HELPFUL BACKGROUND

The Mexican Repatriation Program — 1929 – 1936

Note to teachers: Students may disagree with the position taken in the first five paragraphs. If they do, have a discussion about those disagreements.

The United States has operated on the “melting pot” model, in which immigrants and, particularly, the children of immigrants assimilate into mainstream American culture. This began with the 13 colonies and continues to this day. By the second or third generation, families of immigrants abandon the culture of the country of their family’s origin. Limited aspects of the old cultures persist, particularly in music, food, celebration of holidays, and, most importantly, in religion. However, in most cases little else of the old ways survive. The children of immigrants intermarry with the ancestors of other immigrants and fully participate in mainstream American society.

Even in religion, which is perhaps the most persistent hold-over from the old countries, beliefs are affected by American culture. For example, while there is still some debate, same-sex marriage is accepted by most Americans. The U.S. Episcopalian Church, a branch of the world-wide Anglican Communion (formerly the Church of England), is at odds with other Anglican churches in its endorsement of same-sex marriage. In January 2016, the Episcopalian church in America was officially suspended from the Anglican Communion because of this position.

There is also a parallel process in which some aspects of ethnic cultures are adopted by the mainstream. A good example is food. Almost all Americans love spaghetti, pizza, tacos, burritos, Chinese food, etc.

Racism and prejudice against certain ethnic minorities has skewed the process of assimilation, but it still strongly affects these groups. African-Americans were not voluntary immigrants, and their original African cultures were suppressed by the slaveholder. The African heritage of black Americans has been almost completely lost. The main exception is music, some of which survived and has strongly influenced mainstream culture. Some would argue that in the past, a subculture of black Americans existed, due to economic oppression and racial exclusion. But that subculture itself is distinctly and uniquely American; it is certainly not the result of any African heritage. While some discrimination against African-Americans persists, assimilation has reached the point where the culture of black Americans is usually the same as that of other Americans of the same economic class.

Hispanics and immigrants of Asian descent also suffered from discrimination but, as shown in the film My Family/Mi Familia, the children of Hispanic immigrants have largely become assimilated. The same is true of Americans from families that came from Asia. Each of these groups have been subjected to discriminatory practices, for example, during WWII Americans of Japanese descent who lived on the West Coast were sent to internment camps. However, discrimination and the efforts of misguided and prejudiced people to exclude them from American society may delay assimilation, but the process continues.

The most extreme example of discrimination against Latinex Americans is the “Mexican Repatriation Program,” 1929 – 1936. As the country veered into the Great Depression, U.S. government authorities throughout the United States, and particularly in Texas, California, and Colorado undertook an aggressive program to forcibly remove persons of Mexican ancestry. In California alone, approximately 400,000 American citizens and legal residents of Mexican ancestry were forced to go to Mexico. In total, it is estimated that two million people of Mexican ancestry were forcibly relocated to Mexico. Approximately 60% or 1.2 million had been born in the United States and were thus U.S. citizens. On occasion massive raids were conducted on Mexican-American communities, resulting in the clandestine removal of thousands of people, many of whom were never able to return to the United States. These raids also had the effect of coercing thousands of people to leave the country in the face of threats and acts of violence.

The raids targeted persons of Mexican ancestry, with authorities and others indiscriminately characterizing these persons as “illegal aliens” even when they were United States citizens or permanent legal residents. Authorities in California and other states instituted programs to wrongfully remove persons of Mexican ancestry and secure transportation arrangements with railroads, automobiles, ships, and airlines to effectuate the wholesale removal of people out of the United States to Mexico. As a result of these illegal activities, families were forced to abandon or were defrauded of personal and real property, which often was sold by local authorities as “payment” for the transportation expenses incurred in their removal from the United States to Mexico. As a further result of these illegal activities, United States citizens and legal residents were separated from their families and country and were deprived of their livelihood and United States constitutional rights. The U.S. citizens were deprived of the right to participate in the political process guaranteed to all citizens, thereby resulting in the tragic denial of due process and equal protection of the laws. [Primary Source for the last two paragraphs: California Government Code §§ 8721 & 8722, The Mexican Repatriation Apology Act.]

California State Senator Joe Dunn, interviewed on Remembering California’s ‘Repatriation Program’ by NPR, January 2, 2006, said,

The phrase that the Hoover administration used was “American jobs for real Americans.” Well, if you were born and raised right here in the United States but just happened to be of Mexican descent, in the Hoover administration’s eyes, you were not a, quote, “real American,” But that was the designed purposed of the program, to create jobs due to the rising number of unemployment at that time.

Unfortunately, most of the individuals that were forcibly deported literally were done under armed guard and lock and key. There was a raid in a park in Los Angeles in February of 1931 in which they literally rounded up all the folk in that park who appeared to be of Mexican descent, put them on flatbed trucks under armed guard to Union Station in downtown Los Angeles, on a train that was under lock and key and literally forced them on and–onto the train, and the train took them to the interior of Mexico. Most of the deportations were done by force. . . [M]ost of the deportees in 1930s that were shipped to Mexico did not speak the language. And they were not only thrown out of their country of birth, the United States, they were foreigners in the new land that they were shipped to, that being Mexico.

Almost two million individuals [from throughout the U.S.] were illegally deported to Mexico, and it’s estimated that almost 60 percent or more of those two million were actually United States citizens born right here in the United States.

USING IN THE CLASSROOM

The film needs no introduction. After showing the film, provide students with the information on the Mexican Repatriation, 1929- 1936, set out above. Another way of providing students with this information is to print out The California Apology Act for the 1930s Mexican Repatriation Program, Cal. Government Code §§ 8721 & 8722 and have students read it. Supplement the information in the statute by telling students that states all over the country participated in the program with particularly large deportations in California, Colorado, and Texas. An estimated two million people were deported to Mexico, 60% of them U.S. citizens.

The early scenes of the film contain some Spanish dialogue that is translated with titles on the screen. However, there are well over a hundred instances in which Spanish is spoken and no translation is provided. The writing and direction ensure that these do not detract from the story, but knowing the meaning of these expressions further enriches the film. TWM has provided translations for most of these expressions. See Spanish Expressions in My Family/Mi Familia.

CLICK HERE FOR SPANISH EXPRESSIONS IN MY FAMILY

2. Jalisco and Colima: States in Mexico.

3. Andale, can cuidado: Come on with care.

4. Hazle un lugar ahi: Make a place for him there.

5. Niños: children.

6. Tu café con leche está listo:Your coffe with milk is ready.

7. Mi cafecito: My coffee.

8. La Migra: The Immigration and Naturalization Service (now called the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, “USCIS”).

9. Por favor, Señor: Please, mister.

10. Pinche: ***.

11. Pachuco: a male member of a Mexican-American subculture in the 1930s to 1950; pachucos wore zoot suits, had an exuberant nightlife, and engaged in flamboyant public behavior; some were associated with street gangs.

12. hermano, hermana: brother, sister.

13. aboratte*: colloquial for “go away,” “leave,” “disappear yourself.”

14. Cholo: a person who is of mixed Spanish and native American heritage; a half-breed; it is often pejorative.

15. Ese: slang to refering to the person you are talking to; it is often seen as a perjorative reference to a person of Hispanic heritage.

16. Pues nada: well, nothing.

17. Apurate: hurry up (When Irene says this to her sister Toni, she is being sarcastic.)

18. Machismo: male chauvinism.

19. Brindis: a toast;

20. Felicidades: congratulations;

21. Ella es la mama: She is the mother.

22. No te hagas rogar: You don’t have to beg.

23. Salud: To your health.

24. Salud a todos: To everyone’s health.

25. Mariachi: a form of folk music from Mexico.

26. Los apostoles: The Apostles.

27. Puta, puto: prostitute; when referring to a man it is a general insult.

28. Que Pasa: What’s going on?

29. Vato: Dude.

30. Carnal, carnala: buddy, relative.

31. Que te metas para adentro: What did I say about staying inside?

32. Milpa: cornfield.

33. Chavalito: little boy.

34. Jefe: boss, leader, chief, commander; in a family, Father; Jefecita is Mother.

35. Mota: slang for marijuana.

36. No es tiempo para esto: This is not the time for this.

37. Sinverguenzas delincuentes:criminals

38. Pero tu . . . . : But you . . . .

39. No tienes consciensia: You have no conscience.

40. No tienes dignidad: You have no dignity.

41. A la chingada con eso!: F..k that!

42. No hagas esto, mijo: Don’t do this, son.

43. No hagas esto: Don’t do this.

44. Largate: Get out of here.

45. Que estas haciendo: What are you doing?

46. Mijo: Son.

47. Chinga tu madre.: F__k you.

48. Y mi jefita, como está?: How is mother doing?

49. Y mi jefe, qué dice?: And Dad, what does he say?

50. Nada: nothing.

51. Vete: Get out of here.

52. Hasta Mañana: Until tomorrow.

53. Apurate: Hurry up.

54. Mira: Look at.

55. Con permisso: Excuse me.

56. Vas a ver:You’ll see.

57. Quadese ahi: Stay there.

58. Está muerto: He is dead.

59. La pinta*: slang for prison.

60. Hola: Hello or Hey there.

61. Callate: Be quiet, Shut up.

62. Hijo de: Son of . . . .

63. Un Sacerdote: a priest.

64. mi vida: my life, my darling

66. Mi querido: my darling

67. Y (as in “Y Paco”: and.

68. Abogado: lawyer.

69. Hombre: lman.

70. Mujer: woman.

71. Hombre y mujer, ¿sabes?: Man and woman, understand?

72. Pero: but.

73. Este pastel esta muy bueno: This cake is very good.

74. Baboso: lovestruck, drooling, fawning.

75. Ruca: Old maid.

76. Pendejo: jerk, coward.

77. Cabrona: bitch.

78. Es la pura verdad: It is the pure truth.

79. Vos tenes que ayudarme: You have to help me.

80. Me acabo de casar y no se adonde voy a ir: I just got married and I don’t know what I’m going to do.

81. ¿Vos sabes dodne está Jimmy?: Do you know where Jimmy is?

82. No puede creer esto: I can’t believe this.

83. Ya lo llame: I’m going to call him now.

84. ¿Que Voy a hacer?: What am I going to do?

85. Oye: Hey.

86. Ven acá, hijo: Come here, son.

87. Explícame qué pasa aqui: Explain to me what’s going on here.

88. Chingao: f__cked up.

89. Ay, Dios: Oh, God.

90.Porqueria politica: political crap.

91. Sagradas: sacred.

92. Y tu te callas: And you shut up.

93. Te fregaste: You messed up.

94. No quiero: I don’t want.

95. Vato loco: Crazy dude.

96. Canton: lang for a house in the barrio.

97. Viva la Raza: Long live the mestizo race.

98. Entonces qué: Then what.

99. ¿Eres mi hombre?: Are you my man?

100. ¿Si o no?: Yes or no?

101. Te regalo una rosa: I give you a rose.

102. Si, vamos: Yes, let’s go.

103. No se si esta desnuda: I dont know if it’s naked.

104. O tiene un solo vestido: or just one dress — this line and line # * are from the album “Bachata Rosa” by Juan Luis Guerra.

105. ¿Que dolor, no?: It was painful, wasn’t it?

106. Grandissima ciudad: Big city.

107. Los soldados: the soldiers.

108. Ay, imuchacho travieso, sinverguenza: mischevious scoundrel — can’t find a meaning for “imuchacho.”

109. Ven aqui: come here.

110. Te voy a pegar Mocoso: You brat. I’m going to spank you.

111. Mocoso, ya veras: Sntty nosed squirt, you will see.

112. Muchacho malcriado, ahora veras: spoiled boy, now you will see.

113. ¿Que pasa aqui, senora?: What’s going on here, Senora?

114. Pero ese nino es un desgraca: But, that child is a disgrace.

115. Abuelita, Abuelito: grandmother, grandfather.

116. te voy a comer vivo, vas a ver: I’m going to eat you alive, you’ll see.

117. Mucha hierba: a lot of grass.

118. Es que no puede, jefe: This can’t be done, Dad.

119. ¿Si, mi Chapulin?: What is it my grasshopper?

120. Hola, mi amor. ¿Ququé haces?: Hello, my love, what are you making? or Hello, my love, what are you doing?

121. Calma: calm down.

122. Escucha a Mami: Listen to mother.

123. Lo siento, mijo: I’m sorry, son.

124. Salud: Cheers.

125. Qué pasa: What’s up?

126. Tu café con leche está listo:Your coffe with milk is ready.

127. Vamos hombre. Andale: Go man, hurry.

128. Andae: Come on.

129. Mi familia: My family.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

After showing the film and introducing the information in the Helpful Background section, engage the class in a discussion about the movie. The first seven questions relate to assimilation of immigrants into U.S. culture.

1. What is the best balance in determining how to deal with ethnic and religious differences in a society?

Suggested Response:

Here’s the Golden Rule that has made the U.S. a great nation: celebrate each ethnicity as a unique and beautiful expression of humanity, but cultural identity must be expressed an inclusive way, and any activities that are antithetical to the basic values of the society are abandoned. There are many examples of this. The early Mormons practiced polygamy, but the society required that this practice be abandoned. In Scotland, society was organized by clans, which were basically tribes of related people. There were the Elliotts, the Douglases, the Armstrongs, the MaGregors, etc. In the U.S. people who trace their lineage to Scottland have “gatherings” where they eat, drink, and listen to Bagpipe bands. At some there are competitions of old Scottish sports. Each clan has a tent with information about the clan. For several years in many gatherings in California, one of the hosts at the Elliott Clan tent was a Japanese-American who had no connection with Scottland other than the fact that he had fallen in love with the Elliott clan. He was fully accepted by the people who traced their heritage to the Elliott clan. That is American ethnicity at its best. Contrast this to the Middle East in which the Shiites and Sunnis kill each other, the “Troubles” or Northern Ireland, or Rwanda in which the Hutus murdered almost a million Tutsis in the 1994 genocide. And, of course, there is the Holocaust, the attempted extinction of European Jews by the Nazis. There are, unfortunately, many examples of societies in which religious and ethnic tensions have led to chaos and death.

2. Each of the children of Maria and Jose assimilated into the American “melting pot” and adopted the values of American society to a different extent. Describe the assimilation of each.

Memo fully assimilated. He became a lawyer, moved across the bridges to the West side of Los Angeles, and married a non-Latinex American girl. For Memo, his Mexican heritage was almost an embarrassment. Chucho, like modern-day gang members, got stuck in a nether world in which he rejected the culture of his father in which hard work was a sign of dignity. His world was that of the “pachuco” which rejected much of mainstream American values, but adopted others. Irene is more assimilated, starting a Mexican restaurant with her husband. She is fully integrated into the American economic system, but she is also tied strongly to her parents’ Mexican culture. Toni started out fully in line with the Mexican culture by becoming a nun. While some mainstream American Catholics also became nuns, by the time Toni leaves the Church and marries a non-Mexican, she is fully assimilated. Paco, too assimilates. He joins the Navy and becomes a writer, in English, not in Spanish. Jimmy also seems to assimilate very well, but his story is focused on how he deals with his own psychological wounds resulting from the death of Chucho and his wife.

3. What is the significance of the fact that after Chucho is kicked out of the house, he and his friends (and his enemies) are next shown dancing to non-Hispanic popular music. Include in your response a reason why the filmmakers showed the audience the murals on the walls of the dance hall?

The location is a building that honors the Hispanic heritage of the community, but the music is mainstream popular American music. This shows the distance between Chucho and his friends – and enemies – from their Hispanic roots, and also their ties to their community of people of Mexican origin.

4. There are two instances of very popular television programs shown in the movie. What are the filmmakers trying to tell us with these scenes?

“I Love Lucy” was a popular show. Most people in the U.S. loved it and watched it every week. People still watch re-runs of the old programs. “I Love Lucy” was an agent of assimilation in that it was an experience that most Americans of all ethnic backgrounds shared. The values that the program embraced (and all media has a value set) were likely to be shared by all of its viewers. Also, Lucy was mainstream white, while her husband was Hispanic. In another scene, Maria is watching a telenovela in Spanish. While Maria and Jose have integrated into American economic life and assimilated many American values, they have also retained much of their Mexican culture. This is shown by Maria’s interest in the telenovela.

5. Identify the cultural values that are evidence of assimilation into American culture? These values are not necessarily antithetical to the values of the cultures from which the emigrants come. For example, the dignity of work is a traditional value of the culture which most Mexican and Central American immigrants bring when they come to the U.S. It is also a classic American value. (Unfortunately, some Americans have lost this value.)

There is no one correct answer to this question. While there are many aspects of different cultures that give variety to life that can be retained, such as different ways of celebrating holidays, family customs, language spoken in the home, food, etc. there are certain core values of the majority culture. TWM has identified the following, there are probably more. Not all Americans agree to these values, but most do:

• the belief that all people “are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness;”
• the belief in the importance of due process of law and adherence to the rule of law;
• tolerance of and equal treatment for people despite differences in race, religion, national origin, gender, and, most recently, sexual orientation;
• the majority rules but cannot transgress upon the rights of individuals or minorities set out in the Bill of Rights;
• a respect for freedom of speech and of association;
• that people who work hard and play by the rules should be rewarded; and
• admiration for the entrepreneurial spirit;
• respect for innovation and a high tolerance for change.

The basic values of U.S. Culture change over time. For example, tolerance and equal treatment for LBGT people is relatively new in the last twenty years, and it is not accepted by many Americans. [It would be a good exercise for the class to list those values which are core American values and those which are not.]

6. Do you have to be “assimilated” to be an American Citizen? What must naturalized American citizens agree to do?

The answer to the first question is, “No.” The answer to the second is contained in the oath that those seeking to be naturalized citizens must take: I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.

[An interesting follow-up question is to ask students if there is any part of the oath they would not be willing to agree to and, if so, why?]

7. What should be the goals of U.S. immigration policy? These goals are not always consistent, and compromises may have to be made between competing values.

There are several, and there is no one correct response to this question. Here are a few suggestions. First, there is the goal of attracting to the U.S. those workers who are skilled and who are motivated to work hard; in other words, those who will contribute to the economy. Second, there are the humanitarian goals of allowing people who are suffering from political persecution or who are at risk of being victims of extreme violence to come to a safe place to live. Another humanitarian goal is to unite families by allowing citizens and legal residents to bring family members to the U.S. A third goal is to limit the number of immigrants so that they can be absorbed without changing the nature of U.S. society. A fourth goal is to keep out terrorists and those who would threaten our security.

8. Jose and Maria endured many difficulties and tragedies. Do you agree with their sentiments at the end of the film that they have had a good life? [Another way to ask this question is “Would it have been wrong for Jose and Maria to expect more from life, such as better outcomes for some of their children?”

There is no one correct answer. Strong answers will note the separation from Chucho and his death as well as the problems Jimmy had and the fact that Toni left her order (which must have caused Maria much anguish). However, Memo was doing well as was Irene. Toni had a new interesting life, and Jimmy had a purpose in life. They had grandchildren from Irene and Jimmy. They had a good marriage. Also, they had a home, food, and a good standard of living, which Jose would not have had if he had stayed in Mexico.

9. It has been said that stereotypes are not an error of perception but rather a form of social control. Describe the mechanism of stereotypes as a form of social control

TWM doesn’t know the entire answer to this question, but the following is a good beginning that will get students thinking. 1) People who believe in the stereotype will expect the persons stereotyped to act in a certain way and will react to them as if they act in that way. 2) People have a tendency to mold their perceptions to fit their current beliefs.

See Discussion Questions for Use With any Film that is a Work of Fiction .

ASSIGNMENTS, PROJECTS & ACTIVITIES

Any of the discussion questions can serve as a writing prompt. Additional assignments include:

1. Students can be asked to research and write an essay on one of the following topics:

• The Repatriation of persons of Mexican Descent in during the Great Depression;
• The differences between immigrants “integrating” into the economic life of a country but retaining their ethnic identity and
• The different goals of immigration policy in the U.S. and another country that you select. [U.S. emigration policy has been assimilationist, fostering the “melting pot” in which immigrants adapt to the majority and adopt the U.S. way of life, leaving the culture of the old country behind. Other countries encourage immigrants to preserve their ethnic affiliations while integrating into the economic life of the country.]

2. Students can be also be asked to write about assimilation and the retention of the ethnicity of the countries of origin in their own families.

See also Additional Assignments for Use With any Film that is a Work of Fiction .

BRIDGES TO READING

• The House on Mango Street ;
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Modern Classics) by Betty Smith (Irish-American immigration experience);
• The Joy Luck Club: A Novel by Amy Tan (Asian-American immigration experience); and
• The Immigrant Experience Through Literature for Young Adults from the New York Public Library.

LINKS TO THE INTERNET

• Interview of Director/Writer Gregory Nava by Bill Moyers on PBS NOW 2/15/02;
• My Family/Mi Familia Script – Dialogue Transcript from Drew’s Script-o-rama ;
• Latinos and Otherness: The Films of Gregory Nava by Josef Raab;
• Latino American Cinema: An Encyclopedia of Movies, Stars, Concepts, and Trends By Scott L. Baugh, Article on “My Family” at pp. 172 & 173;
• Ebert’s review  
• City of Angels’ First Name Still Bedevils Historians by Bob Pool, LA Times, March 26, 2005;
• list of songs in My Family/Mi Familia ;
• My Family Script – Dialogue Transcript from Drew’s Script-o-Rama;
• Wikipedia Article on the Mexican Repatriation ;
• Culture war: When ‘assimilation’ became ‘integration’ Exclusive : Tom Tancredo 3/15/2013;
• Opinion: Integration Doesn’t Mean Assimilation by Peter Philipp in Deutsche Welle 2/14/2008;
• Assimilation Models, Old and New: Explaining a Long-Term Process by Susan K. Brown, Frank D. Bean, Immigration Policy Institute – 10/1/2006;
• Anglican Communion Suspends U.S. Episcopal Church Over Same-Sex Marriage by Alex Johnson, NBC News,6/14/16.

CCSS ANCHOR STANDARDS

Multimedia: Anchor Standard #7 for Reading (for both ELA classes and for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Classes). (The three Anchor Standards read: “Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media, including visually and quantitatively as well as in words.”) CCSS pp. 35 & 60. See also Anchor Standard # 2 for ELA Speaking and Listening, CCSS pg. 48.

Reading: Anchor Standards #s 1, 2, 7 and 8 for Reading and related standards (for both ELA classes and for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Classes). CCSS pp. 35 & 60.

Writing: Anchor Standards #s 1 – 5 and 7- 10 for Writing and related standards (for both ELA classes and for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Classes). CCSS pp. 41 & 63.

Speaking and Listening: Anchor Standards #s 1 – 3 (for ELA classes). CCSS pg. 48.

Not all assignments reach all Anchor Standards. Teachers are encouraged to review the specific standards to make sure that over the term all standards are met.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

In addition to websites which may be linked in the Guide and selected film reviews listed on the Movie Review Query Engine .

(Archived 2016) Ethnic Representations in Film

Chicana/o and latina/o studies in cinema.

My Family – Mi Familia (1995)

Posted April 23, 2016 by pcarloss

My Family (Mi Familia ) is a film co-written by Gregory Nava and Anna Thomas, directed by Francis Ford Coppola (another non-Hispanic/Latino).

This epic film traces over three generations an immigrant family’s trials, tribulations, tragedies and triumphs. Jose and Maria, the first generation, come to Los Angeles, meet, marry, face deportation all in the 1930s. They establish their family in East L.A., and their children Chucho, Paco, Memo, Irene, Toni, and Jimmy deal with youth culture and the L.A. police in the 1950s. As the second generation become adults in the 1960s, the focus shifts to Jimmy, his marriage to Isabel (a Salvadorian refugee), their son, and Jimmy’s journey to becoming a responsible parent.

My Family (Mi Familia ) is one of the few “theatrical” movies (not a documentary) that recognizes a very important character to the protagonist (Jose Sanchez) as the scene opens with the migration of Jose to Los Angeles to stay with a distant relative known as “El Californio” (The Californian) so named because he was here in Los Angeles, California when California was Mexico. He truly belonged here.

Jose meets and marries Maria and starts a family. While on an outing to the grocery store in 1933 Maria is swept up in a I.N.S. raid and despite her protests that she was a U.S. citizen and pregnant with a family at home is loaded onto a train box car and deported to Central Mexico. Determination and faith are the catalyst for Maria to return to her familia in Los Angeles. She professes to an aunt that she locates and who takes her in that she must have her child and return to her family. Her aunt advises Maria she must have faith and that faith will determine if she is to return to her family.

Meanwhile, in East Los Angeles, her husband Jose and two children are living with the Californio who passes away and leaves his home and estate to Jose. His one request was that he be buried behind his house and under the garden. His marker stated he was born in California when it was Mexico and where he lies is still Mexico. Superstitious practices are performed when while in her attempt to return to Los Angeles Maria and baby Chuco while attempting to cross, fall into the rain swollen river. The baby nearly losses his life.

1958 – Wedding of Sister Irene – enter antagonist Butch Mejia, who with his gang attempts to crash the wedding. The two characters Chucho and Butch after a lot of testosterone filled posturing promise to encounter each other again.

The struggle between the old ways and the “modern” ways is a major factor being addressed in these scenes. Jose has struggled first in his walking from Mexico to Los Angeles California. Finds work as a gardener, a back breaking job and manages to raise six children. Jose is a proud man. a man who is proud of his children his oldest son who is in the navy, an aspiring writer (the narrator of the movie played by Edward James Olmos), older daughter Irene who is now married, younger daughter Toni who has become a nun, two younger sons, Memo who is the more studiest type (becomes an attorney) and Jimmy the youngest child. The child that is destined to give the family heartache is the child who nearly lost his life crossing the river, Chucho. Maria claimed at the time that the spirit of the river wanted his life and that he was living on borrowed time.

The clash of the times and cultures comes to a head and fractures the family as Chucho who is a nineteen-fifties gang banger – referred to as a “Pacheco” the derogatory term used at the time, not unlike the Pachuco’s of the Zoot Suit era. The breaking point is when Jose is notified by the police that Chucho is selling marijuana. Jose confronts Chucho and states that he did not raise his family to be delinquents and disgraceful, he did not sacrifice for that. Chucho states he does not care and does not want to be a “Mexican”. He does not want to be like his siblings but most of all he does not want to be like Jose, a fight ensures and Chucho is banished from the home.

An encounter with Butch ends up in a fight that takes Butch’s life. A police dragnet for Chucho ends in Chucho being killed in front of Jimmy and changing Jimmy’s life, from an innocent child to a juvenile delinquent. The spirit of the river had claimed Chucho’s life. Breaking jimmy’s heart and his spirit.

Jimmy Smits plays Jimmy as an adult (20 years later) – an angry bitter man who has served time in jail. Toni who has since left her Order and married an ex-priest is working to help immigrants in their deportation plights. Jimmy is convinced by his sister Toni to help Isabel Magana (a Salvadorian immigrant fighting deportation) by marrying her to allow her to stay in the U.S. Despite Jimmy’s effort to not become emotionally attached to Isabel, in spite of his defenses they do end up in a relationship as they share their grief that they experienced as children. Isabel becomes pregnant and Jimmy becomes a “husband”. Isabel dies during childbirth, causing Jimmy to not want to bond with his child. Jimmy gets arrested and refuses to be involved in his sons life. When Jimmy is released from prison he visits his parents home who are caring for his son. Upon seeing his son, the love of a parent takes over Jimmy’s heart. Now the tables have turned and his son Carlitos does not want to know Jimmy. Despite many attempts he is unsuccessful trying to win Carlitos over, until one day Jimmy decides to leave and Carlitos realizes that he will be losing his father again.

Guillermo “Memo” now an attorney brings his Anglo fiancee and her parents from Bel Air, California to meet the entire family. The Sanchez family is portrayed as very down to earth and the children as extremely rambunctious and unmanageable. The journeys, trials and tribulations that the Sanchez family undergo is a reality that shows the diversity and cultural changes that happen in America. The migration of the patriarch Jose to Los Angeles, the struggle of Maria to return to her family after being deported. The changes of time and culture. The rough times that Chucho and Jimmy experienced in their bouts with the law. The changes that education can bring to families as portrayed by Memo who attended U.C.L.A. and becomes an attorney. As stated by Jose during Irene’s wedding – the Greatest riches a man can have is “Mi Familia” My Family.

This film portrays stereo typical scenes of a home with bright colored rooms. Superstition and mystical beliefs are sprinkled throughout the film, in the scene when the river spirit tries to take Chucho, second when the owl (who is said to represent death) appears when Chucho is killed by the police, again, when Isabel dies during child birth Paco (Edward James Olmos) shares that Maria refers to the women who die during birth “Cihuateteo” (Aztec folklore) as helpers of the Sun to set.

Who belongs here in California really? Hmm? We do “We are Californios”

http://www.imdb.com/video/screen

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2930573593/

5 thoughts on “ My Family – Mi Familia (1995) ”

Seems like a great movie! I have never seen My Familia, but after reading your blog, I am more interesting in watching it. In addition, I think that Edward James Olmos is a very seasoned actor. It appears that many movies have stereotypes mixed throughout the dialogue, and other props are used as you mentioned that portray other superstitious beliefs and propaganda. The filming industry uses stereotype and unfortunately the stereotypical stratification feeds the class, gender and race problems in America.

I enjoyed reading your post. This movie really hits home for me. I am the son of a gardener named Jose. My father crossed the border during the early 80’s and was granted amnesty. This film definitely portrays stereotypes of the Latino/a but I feel it also shows the multidimensional aspects of the Latino. This film does well to show the differences and similarities between generations and individuals in the same family.

Great review of your film. I have never even heard of this movie before but, in reading your review, I’d like to watch it. So many family dynamics taking place and the superstitions that unfold, I love those story lines. I believe in superstitions and all of that stuff, I find it to be so interesting. Can’t wait to see this movie for myself and get to see how the 3 generations interact.

You did a great job analyzing that movie for us. I have never seen it but interestingly enough feel as though I can somehow relate to it based on some of the stories I have been told about my own family. It sounds like this movie is a positive and realistic representation of a Mexican-American family’s experience. I love that fact that El Californio was included in this film. His presence in the film accentuates a great truth; that California was once on Mexican land, until it was taken away.

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. It is surprising how in a regular length movie, the characters are developed to the extent that we are attached to them and love them for who they are. I have been struck over and over by the religious symbolism that was built into the structure of the film´s characters and story. José receives a message from an angel that María is pregnant with a very special child. María gives birth in a far off country because the authorities did not want them to be in their own country. She names him Jesús Sanchez, Chucho for short, not a name chosen by his father. When he grows up, he is a leader of a group called Los Apostoles, loves children and loves to play with them, hates the injustice prevalent in society, He is turned in by his own people, and killed by the ruling party to intimidate and make a point.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Illuminating, Heartfelt Look at Latino Life : ‘My Family/Mi Familia’ should be viewed by anyone interested in the immigrant experience, so central to the culture of our state.

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

“My Family/Mi Familia,” a film by Gregory Nava currently in movie theaters, is breaking new ground by telling the Latino immigrant story accurately, fairly and with heart. Everyone who is interested in understanding the experiences of the Latino community (which should be everyone in California) should see it.

The picture not only casts off Latino stereotypes, but its success also flies in the face of conventional wisdom about Latino audiences.

Latinos do not just have large numbers, they have economic clout, and they go to the movies in droves. When they can relate to a well-made picture, they support it. Unfortunately, if they want to hear their own language and see their own people, they often must make do with low-budget films ground out in two weeks in Mexico. Movie executives did not quite believe the success of “La Bamba” among Latinos and rationalized it away as a movie about a crossover singer. But “My Family” could make them at last recognize the economic opportunity the Latino market presents.

I worked on the marketing of “My Family/Mi Familia” in a small way. My Burbank-based firm conducted some of the consumer research, including focus groups, surveys and screenings, one in North Hollywood.

Latinos fit perfectly into Hollywood’s image of their target movie-goers. They tend to be young--an average of 10 years younger than their non-Latino counterparts--and to live in urban centers. And they spend heavily on entertainment. To Hollywood, this translates into a perfect target for standard fare.

The Hollywood take on Latinos is that they like only action and children’s movies. So the common wisdom was that a serious and intelligent film like “My Family” could not do well. All of the people involved in the making of the movie were very nervous about the younger members of the recruited audience of the screening. Would they hoot and scream and mock the movie? No--they laughed, they cried, they gasped and they sighed, and at the end they applauded.

The film was released widely, but only in markets with high Latino penetration. This was used as a strategy to get the film out there, first with its “natural” audience, with hopes to go wider as its reputation spread. So far it has worked, with the film achieving high per-screening averages, and grossing more in two weeks than the film’s entire budget.

The name of the film presented an interesting problem. Should it be only in English, only in Spanish, or both? We, among others, recommended that the title be left bilingual, because English-only made it sound like a sappy family movie or a Mafia picture, and Spanish-only made it sound like a Mexican movie and suggested that it would be all in Spanish, which it is not.

The bilingual title conveys that the film is in two languages. It has subtitles for the Spanish or English dialogue, depending on the neighborhood. The English part of the title also signals to the Spanish-speaking audience that it is a full-blown Hollywood movie about a bicultural world.

The film explores tough issues from both sides: the unfairness of the INS, both today and historically, and the ways immigrant-rights groups use the laws to get around the spirit of the law; the realities of gangs and drug dealing, and the police brutality that leads to tragedies; how one young man can get the American Dream all wrong, and another from the same family get it all right.

This film has been a long time coming. Looking at TV and movies in the past year, you would never guess that Latinos compose 10% of the total U.S. population, and 40% of the population of the entertainment capital of the world. You would have seen maids, gang bangers, drug dealers and bus boys, but that’s pretty much it.

Every officeholder in California ought to see this film. Those who find it politically convenient to be obtuse, such as our governor, should see “My Family” once for every week they’ve hired an illegal housekeeper, and another for every vote they’ve gained by bashing immigrants. Perhaps some real “My Family” values might actually sink in. Perhaps we should start a new state program of affirmative entertainment.

“My Family/Mi Familia” is an important cultural milestone. It says to Latinos: “Yes, believe in yourself, because your love and your families are a great treasure.” To others it says, “This is who we are, the good and the bad--learn about us and learn from us.”

More to Read

‘Oppenheimer’ doesn’t show us Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That’s an act of rigor, not erasure

Aug. 11, 2023

Read the stirring monologue about womanhood America Ferrera delivers in ‘Barbie’

July 23, 2023

Review: In ‘Three Thousand Years of Longing,’ the existential questions go unanswered

Aug. 25, 2022

Only good movies

Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

More From the Los Angeles Times

Miranda July is widening and expanding women’s lives with her new novel: ‘Fiction is my superpower’

May 14, 2024

Entertainment & Arts

What’s the deal with Jerry Seinfeld? His Duke University address sparks student walkout

May 13, 2024

Roger Corman, independent cinema pioneer and king of B movies, dead at 98

May 11, 2024

Company Town

Shari Redstone was poised to make Paramount a Hollywood comeback story. What happened?

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

FILM REVIEW

FILM REVIEW; A Mexican-American Journey of Generations

By Caryn James

• May 3, 1995

Gregory Nava's "My Family: Mi Familia" is a grandly ambitious, warmhearted, wildly uneven movie about one Mexican-American family in East Los Angeles. At its liveliest, the film seems crammed with cheerful Latin music, life-threatening immigration problems and a terrific, dominant performance by Jimmy Smits. At its most conventional, it offers a trite, overblown narration by Edward James Olmos and an often flagging sense of drama.

In the 1920's, Jose Sanchez walks from Mexico to California, where he meets and marries the Mexican-born Maria. These early scenes are among the film's strongest, with a lyrical sense of storytelling and a feel for the dusty landscape of such hard lives. Pregnant with their third child, Maria is picked up by immigration officials, thrown onto a crowded train and returned to Mexico, though she is a United States citizen. Determined to return to her family, she almost drowns crossing a river with her baby, Chucho. Maria's inner life is vividly created, as her faith in the Virgin coexists with the superstition that an owl crying in daylight is a bad omen.

The story then leaps to the late 1950's, when Jose and Maria's six children scatter in various directions. One daughter enters a convent, while a son is hunted by the police. Here the film bogs down with too many set pieces. There is the eldest daughter's wedding. There is a buoyant scene in which Chuco (now a young man, played by Esai Morales) gives a mambo lesson to his little brother Jimmy and Jimmy's friends. The radio blasts from Chuco's red car and everyone dances in the street. There is a dance-hall scene, in which Chuco is drawn into a knife fight.

Mr. Nava, whose first film was the acclaimed low-budget "El Norte" (1983), is so sincere and single-minded here that he treats every scene in "My Family" with equal importance, flattening out its drama. And he seems so enamored of the texture of Mexican-American life that he glides past any sense of character. Suddenly Toni wants to be a nun; who is Toni, anyway?

Throughout, Mr. Olmos narrates in the voice of the eldest son, a would-be writer named Paco. He decribes what we can see in front of us and explains the characters' feelings when we ought to discern them for ourselves. Mr. Olmos's melodramatic reading is a match for his character's mawkish writing. "The corn was tall and green the day that Jimmy came home," he says.

If the narrator was Mr. Nava's single worst choice, casting Mr. Smits was his best. When the story jumps to the 1980's, little Jimmy has just been released from prison, where he has turned into Mr. Smits. For a while, "My Family" becomes a comedy of manners. Toni (with a better defined character and a few surprises) tries to talk Jimmy into marrying a stranger who is about to be deported to El Salvador. "When did you become so bourgeois?" she yells when he resists. "Don't you ever call me bushwacked again," he yells back.

With a deft touch that lightens the story, and the charismatic presence this film has needed all along, Mr. Smits almost singlehandedly makes "My Family" more engaging. And though Jimmy also faces tragedy, and estrangement from his young son, Mr. Smits brings emotional power to some predictable scenes. The Mexican actor Eduardo Lopez Rojas is especially fine as Jose in the 1950's and 1980's, a man who reacts with believable confusion and anger when his son Chuco says, "I don't want to be like you."

The cinematographer Edward Lachman and the production designer Barry Robison have smartly brought a different look to each of the film's three sections. The early scenes have a burned-out, faded-yellow tinge. The 50's, with its parties and dances is shot in bright balloon colors. Los Angeles in the 1980's looks familiarly realistic, though the family's clothes and house always echo the vibrant look of Mexican folk art.

Like Paco, Mr. Nava is not much of a narrator, but his story is energetic enough to survive its sometimes pedestrian telling.

"My Family: Mi Familia" is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). It includes a glimpse of nudity and suggested sex, two bloody deaths and some strong language. MY FAMILY: MI FAMILIA

Directed by Gregory Nava; written by Mr. Nava and Anna Thomas; director of photography, Edward Lachman; edited by Nancy Richardson; folk music by Pepe Avila; orchestral music score by Mark McKenzie; production designer, Barry Robison; produced by Ms. Thomas; released by New Line Cinema. Running time: 120 minutes. This film is rated R. WITH: Jimmy Smits (Jimmy), Esai Morales (Chucho), Eduardo Lopez Rojas (Jose), Jenny Gago (Maria) and Edward James Olmos (Paco)

• Earth and Environment
• Literature and the Arts
• Philosophy and Religion
• Plants and Animals
• Science and Technology
• Social Sciences and the Law
• Sports and Everyday Life
• Additional References

• Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps

My Family, Mi Familia

Filmmaker Gregory Nava crafts a multi-generational epic in My Family, Mi Familia, a film that follows nearly 60 years in the life of a Latino family whose roots in the United States date back to the 1920s. Released in 1995, Nava's film addresses themes central to the immigrant experience. The financial success of My Family, Mi Familia demonstrated that audiences—specifically Latino audiences—were hungry for positive cinematic representation. Nava's insistence that an entirely Latino cast play his characters (as opposed to bankable Anglo stars) was a victory not only for independent filmmakers working within the Hollywood system but, more importantly, for greater verisimilitude and diversity in filmmaking.

Although he was born and raised in San Diego , Nava's own family tree has its roots in Tijuana. Nava has said that he was raised in a border world that experienced a "tremendous clash between the cultures." It is this culture clash that dominates many of Nava's films, such as the acclaimed El Norte (1983), a story of a brother and sister who flee Guatemala during a military coup and move northward, first to Mexico and then to California. Their struggle to adapt to a new culture provides the film with its moving drama and conflict. Nava gained much of his filmmaking experience while a student at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) film school, where he made his promising first feature, Confessions of Aman (1973). Nearly all of his films have been collaborations with his wife and partner Anna Thomas, who acted as co-screenwriter and producer on My Family, Mi Familia.

Narrated by writer Paco ( Edward James Olmos ), one of José and María Sanchez's five children, My Family, Mi Familia begins when a teenaged José (Jacob Vargas) leaves his remote Mexican village in the 1920s to seek out his last surviving relative, an old man known as El Californio (Leon Singer), one of the state's original settlers. José finds work in Beverly Hills as a gardener for a wealthy family. There he meets and falls in love with their housekeeper María (played as a young woman by Jennifer Lopez ). By the 1930s, the couple has made a life for themselves in California that includes two children and a third baby on the way. When the pregnant María (Jenny Gago) is mistaken for an illegal immigrant during a routine sweep, she is deported to Mexico and separated from José and their two children for nearly two years. Once they are reunited as a family, the Sanchez's story jumps to the late 1950s when their third child Chuco (Esai Morales), who has grown into a troubled and rebellious young adult, gets involved in a fight, kills a man, and is shot by the police in front of his younger brother Jimmy (played by Jonathan Hernandez and as an adult by Jimmy Smits). The family's story continues into the 1980s, and it traces the lives of the individual family members as they struggle with more sorrow and celebrate life's successes.

Masterfully photographed by cinematographer Edward Lachman, My Family, Mi Familia interweaves elements of magical realism (or dream realism, as Nava prefers to call the surreal stylization of films such as Like Water for Chocolate) within the epic story co-scripted by Nava and Thomas. Partly autobiographical and partly based on Nava's research of families living in East Los Angeles , the film also features mythical references including the pre-Columbian motif Ometeotl, or the creator couple, who are reflected in the characters of José and María. Bridges figure largely in the film as well, serving as literal and metaphorical images uniting different cultures, spaces, and characters.

My Family, Mi Familia received mixed critical reviews upon its release in 1995. The multi-generational story often was praised for its ambition but not always for its execution. The San Francisco Chronicle called it a "haunting, poignant, and joyful memoir," while Sight & Sound said, "Although three decades are covered … there is little sense of the complexities of the American immigrant experience."

Similarly, the New York Times review called the film "wildly uneven" but "grandly ambitious" and "warmhearted." Some critics argued that the film's themes are raised but never adequately addressed, and others suggested that the film reinforces Latino stereotypes of the patriarchal family and, through its narrative and stylistic choices, deprives the female characters of agency and action. Nearly all who wrote about My Family, Mi Familia, however, praised the film for its positive Latino portrayals. Nava's film received many accolades from community groups and national Latino organizations and won the prize for outstanding feature film at the National Council of La Raza Bravo Awards in 1995.

The film's bilingual title reflects both the filmmakers' desire to appeal to a broad audience and distributor New Line Cinema's fears that Anglo audiences would be disinterested in a film titled only in Spanish. In a rather bold marketing move, New Line launched an entirely Latino promotion that targeted specific cities and regions throughout the country. Traditionally, the Latino market is younger than average moviegoing audiences, and they are avid consumers of mass-market entertainment such as movies. Perhaps this statistic influenced the film's financial success: in its first week, My Family, Mi Familia had the number one per screen average across the country, earning more money during its opening weekend than any other film playing at that time. With a modest budget of $5.5 million, the film had grossed nearly $8 million by the end of 1995.

During an interview to promote the release of My Family, Mi Familia, Nava was quoted as saying, "We have to look to our roots to find our strength." The strengths of My Family, Mi Familia lie in its fictional exploration of one family's multicultural roots and each member's struggles to preserve their Latino heritage while making a better life for themselves within the often rigid culture of the United States . Nava believes the immigrant experience is one of great drama and conflict, and the story (and backstory) of My Family, Mi Familia reflects this experience.

—Alison Macor

Further Reading:

Huaco-Nuzum, Carmen. "Mi Familia/My Family." Aztlan: A Journal of Chicano Studies. Vol. 23, No. 1, 1998, 141-52.

James, Caryn. "My Family." The New York Times. May 3, 1995, B2.

McCarthy, Todd. "My Family/Mi Familia." Variety. Vol. 358, No. 1,1995, 74.

O'Brien, Lucy. "My Family." Sight & Sound. Vol. 5, No. 10,1995, 53-54.

West, Dennis. "Filming the Chicano Family Saga." Cineaste. Vol.21, No. 4, 1995, 26-29.

Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

" My Family, Mi Familia . " St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture . . Encyclopedia.com. 15 Apr. 2024 < https://www.encyclopedia.com > .

"My Family, Mi Familia ." St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture . . Encyclopedia.com. (April 15, 2024). https://www.encyclopedia.com/media/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/my-family-mi-familia

"My Family, Mi Familia ." St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture . . Retrieved April 15, 2024 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/media/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/my-family-mi-familia

Citation styles

Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA).

Within the “Cite this article” tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list.

Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. Therefore, it’s best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publication’s requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites:

Modern Language Association

http://www.mla.org/style

The Chicago Manual of Style

http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html

American Psychological Association

http://apastyle.apa.org/

• Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Refer to each style’s convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates.
• In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list.

More From encyclopedia.com

About this article, you might also like.

• NAVA, Gregory
• Looking Back and Turning Inward: American Documentary Films of the Seventies
• Nava, Gregory (1949–)
• Genres and Production Trends, 1955–1959
• Spectatorship and Audiences
• Avant-Garde Cinema of the Seventies
• MAKHMALBAF FAMILY
• Experimental Cinema in the 1980s

NEARBY TERMS

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Get the app
• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

Explaining the News to Our Kids

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Celebrating Black History Month

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

My family (mi familia), common sense media reviewers.

Epic, dramatic tale of a Mexican-American family.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Overall, a story of a hardworking, loving, and ide

Mostly the characters try to improve their lives.

A character, on the run from police, is killed whe

A husband and wife kiss passionately; they are the

Characters curse frequently in both languages, wit

A character admits that he sells marijuana. A char

Parents need to know that My Family (Mi Familia) is about a hardworking and loving Mexican-American family has a lot of adult material. Characters are partially nude in passionate love scenes, and there are several violent moments including a bloody shooting, a knife fight that ends in a fatality, and a…

Positive Messages

Overall, a story of a hardworking, loving, and idealistic family. There are scenes of ethnic discrimination, as when authorities round up Mexicans (regardless of their citizenship), force them into trucks, and deport them as part of a Depression-era immigration sweep, or when a woman comments that Latina maids are "always getting pregnant."

Positive Role Models

Mostly the characters try to improve their lives. Two members get involved in criminal activities, including one that serves time in prison for armed robbery. He redeems himself later in the film.

Violence & Scariness

A character, on the run from police, is killed when officers shoot him in the head and the back. Two characters engage in a knife fight: one is fatally stabbed. Both of these scenes are fairly graphic and bloody. A woman threatens a man with a shotgun. Police strike a man with a nightstick. A few fights occur throughout the film. A graphic childbirth scene ends in a mother's death, her body shown briefly in the morgue. A mother makes a perilous journey across a river with her baby.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A husband and wife kiss passionately; they are then shown naked in bed; the wife's breast is briefly visible. A man and a woman make love in a field. They are clearly naked, although positioned strategically and shot from the waist up so that nothing is revealed.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Characters curse frequently in both languages, with the worst being "f--k you" in English and "f--k your mother" in Spanish.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

A character admits that he sells marijuana. A character drinks an alcoholic beverage. Cigarette smoking shown.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that My Family (Mi Familia) is about a hardworking and loving Mexican-American family has a lot of adult material. Characters are partially nude in passionate love scenes, and there are several violent moments including a bloody shooting, a knife fight that ends in a fatality, and a graphic childbirth scene that ends in a mother's death, her body shown briefly in the morgue. There's a lot of cursing in both English and Spanish; one character drinks and another sells marijuana. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say
• Kids say (2)

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

The sweeping saga MY FAMILY follows a Mexican-American family through three generations, beginning in the 1930s. José Sanchez (Jacob Vargas) arrives in California from Mexico and lands a job as a gardener to wealthy families. He meets and marries Maria ( Jennifer Lopez) , and they have six children. They are separated early in the movie when a pregnant Maria is unjustly deported, and her perilous journey home with an infant son sets up a haunting, mystical thread that runs throughout the movie. Paco (Edward James Olmos), the eldest son (and the film's narrator), is an aspiring writer. Irene marries and opens a restaurant with her husband. Toni ( Constance Marie ) becomes a nun, but later shocks her parents when she finds her true calling in life. Guillermo, or "Memo," becomes a lawyer. Two sons emerge as more flagrant rebels. In the 1958 segment, Chucho (Esai Morales) sells drugs and periodically fights with a rival gang leader. Jimmy ( Jimmy Smits ) is the youngest of the family and the heart of the film. As an adult in 1978, he's an ex-con who follows in Chucho's footsteps and harbors a deep hurt over a tragedy he witnessed as a boy. His world changes when he marries Isabel, a maid in danger of being deported back to El Salvador.

Is It Any Good?

This excellent movie explores the dynamics of Mexican-American families and culture in a way that's not often presented in mainstream cinema. It welcomes viewers inside this tight-knit clan with a mixture of drama and humor, tragedy and romance, and also examines issues familiar to immigrants and their families. (One recurring theme explores how José and Maria's first-generation children respond to the traditions, cultural values, and ideals of their parents.) Ultimately, however, it transcends its ethnicity and is simply a story about family.

Occasionally weighed down with melodrama, My Family (Mi Familia) is nonetheless moving and well-executed, with an epic, almost Godfather esque feel. (Francis Ford Coppola had a hand in its production, and that influence shows, particularly in a wedding scene.) The eclectic soundtrack, which includes Mexican folk music, Los Lobos, and Pedro Infante, captures the film's spirit, and two key scenes use dancing to great effect: Chucho teaches a group of kids to mambo in a lively moment, and Isabel shows Jimmy how to dance in a scene that's unforgettable for its chemistry, its sheer joy, and the way Smits' character thaws before our eyes.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about where their own ancestors are from and how long the family has been here.

How does the family in My Family (Mi Familia) resemble your own?

Does the film devote too much time to the characters of Chucho and Jimmy, perhaps perpetuating certain stereotypes?

Movie Details

• In theaters : May 3, 1997
• On DVD or streaming : April 6, 2004
• Cast : Jennifer Lopez , Jimmy Smits , Lupe Ontiveros
• Director : Gregory Nava
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Latino actors
• Studio : New Line
• Genre : Drama
• Run time : 126 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : strong language, some graphic violence and a scene of sexuality.
• Last updated : December 2, 2022

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

Real Women Have Curves

Quinceañera

Best International Films for Kids

Multicultural books.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Code Switch

• School Colors
• Perspectives

• LISTEN & FOLLOW
• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Amazon Music

Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed.

'Mi Familia' In Movies: Films Mexican-American Millennials Grew Up On

Adrian Florido

At left, Jimmy Smits in My Family . At right, Jennifer Lopez in Selena . Left: Zoetrope/New Line/Kobal Collection. Right: Scott Del Amo/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

At left, Jimmy Smits in My Family . At right, Jennifer Lopez in Selena .

At Code Switch, we like movies. We like to talk about movies. (Apologies to the newscast folks who have to sit near us.) Recently, we got into this big discussion about movies we watched over and over again growing up — not just because they're good, but also because, in one way or another, they reflected our lives as people of color in the United States.

When I was a kid in Southern California, there were several films that helped me make sense of what it meant to grow up Mexican in the States. If you're Latino and have seen these, you probably quote from them liberally. If you haven't, go watch them this weekend!

Born in East L.A.

When I was growing up, my family often visited Tijuana, a two-hour drive south of our house in Orange County. I knew we were getting close when the freeway divider suddenly shot up 6 feet , a barrier to discourage migrants who'd already hopped the fence from making it across Interstate 5. It let us know we were entering the borderlands.

Right around this point, my mom would turn to the back seat and say something like, "You know, your dad came through here." Then my dad would tell us stories of crossing into the U.S. in the '70s, hiding from Border Patrol under bridges or curled up in the trunk of a car. In his retelling of these cat-and-mouse chases, he was always just a little bit cannier than his pursuers. He wanted to get into the U.S. more than they wanted to keep him out.

His stories always reminded me of Born in East L.A . The film, written, directed by and starring Cheech Marin, is a satire about a Los Angeles-born Chicano named Rudy who gets mistakenly rounded up during an immigration raid at a factory and deported. He ends up stuck in Tijuana because immigration officers don't believe he's a U.S. citizen. Hilarity ensues as Rudy tries again and again to get home.

In one scene, after hopping the border fence, Rudy is trekking through the hills of southern San Diego County with a bush strapped to his back. When he spots a Border Patrol agent, he crouches down like a desert scrub. Thinking he's in the clear, he ditches the disguise. Then he sees another agent. He ducks behind some nearby foliage in the nick of time. But it turns out he's dived right into a Border Patrol truck that's also in disguise — as a much larger bush. Back to Mexico!

Cheech Marin plays L.A.-born Chicano Rudy in "Born in East L.A."

Born in East L.A. was made at a time when illegal immigration into the U.S. was on the rise, and so was border enforcement. By 1987, when the movie hit theaters, crossing at San Diego was a lot harder than when my 15-year-old dad first tried it in 1975 (though not nearly as hard as it is today). Rudy's repeated failures to cross reflected this. But the movie's more incisive point was the absurdity of Rudy's dilemma: He'd been deported from his own country, and then had to sneak back in.

Marin's movie was hilarious, but also a warning about how anti-immigrant sentiment can become a convenient proxy for anti-Latino racism. That's one reason Born in East L.A. remains as relevant today as it was in 1987.

Over the holidays, I drove my dad (a U.S. citizen since the early '90s) to the Tijuana airport. Today, whenever we're near the border, we often remark on how tall the fence has gotten. Could he have crossed if it had been like this back then? I asked him.

"Oooh, no, no, no."

As my dad got out of the car to cross into Mexico, I double-checked to make sure he had his passport.

My Family, Mi Familia

My Family, Mi Familia tells the story of the Sanchez family over three generations. It starts with the patriarch's migration from Mexico to Los Angeles in the early 20th century and tracks the Sanchezes through the 1980s, by which point the family is undeniably American, yet still struggling with the complexities of what it means to call yourself American if you aren't white.

Along the way, the Sanchezes deal with illegal deportations during the Depression, police brutality and racial tension during the '50s, and anxieties around assimilation when one of the Sanchez sons is engaged to a white woman in the '80s.

There is nothing remarkable about my favorite scene in the movie. It has no bearing on the plot. But I love it because it captured a detail of bicultural Mexican-American life so small, so seemingly perfunctory, that only a writer who lived it would have cared, let alone had the cultural knowledge, to write it into a screenplay. (Director and co-writer Gregory Nava grew up in San Diego but regularly crossed the border to visit family in Tijuana).

In my favorite scene, it's 1950s Los Angeles and the Sanchez family is sitting in their living room, its walls painted a bright pink common in Mexican-American households. They realize I Love Lucy is starting — "Hey, it's time for Lucy!" "I love that show, mamá !" — and they flip on the TV. A little later, they'll hear gunshots outside, leading to the film's most tragic scene, but my favorite part of the whole movie is when they tune in to watch that zany redhead and her antics.

The Sanchez family watches "I Love Lucy" together in their living room in "My Family."

Why? Because growing up, "Put on Lucy!" was a constant refrain in our house, too — most recently on Christmas Day, in fact. I Love Lucy has been my mom's favorite show since she was a girl growing up in the barrios of Orange County. Lucy was hysterical, and she and Ricky Ricardo were network television's first mixed-race couple . For most Americans, his hot-blooded, and, yes, stereotypical, fits of anger, spewed in Spanish, were meaningless gibberish. But unlike many viewers, my mom actually understood what he was saying, which made it even funnier.

Nava pumped the film full of these seemingly insignificant details. And the cumulative effect was that My Family became a richly textured film in which many Mexicans and Mexican-Americans could see bits and pieces of their own families, even if not every aspect of its story mirrored their own.

Selena's music was the soundtrack of our Sunday mornings. Actually, it was our alarm clock. When "Amor Prohibido" started blasting from the dining room stereo — and I mean really blasting, with my mom singing along — my brother and I knew it was time to get up and do our chores.

When the Tejano music pop star was shot and killed at age 23 in 1995, it's not a stretch to say it felt like losing family. A few years ago, a friend and I were talking about where we were when we learned that Yolanda Saldívar, the president of Selena's fan club, had shot her. I remembered sitting in the living room with my parents watching coverage of the standoff between Saldívar and police on a Spanish-language news channel.

The memory was vivid: Saldívar had barricaded herself in her truck, tears flowing, a gun in one hand, a phone in the other as she spoke to a police negotiator. "Look at what I've done to my best friend!" she sobbed. "I want to talk to my mother!"

I told my friend I remembered Saldívar's shaky, miserable words like it was yesterday.

"They didn't show that on the news," she said.

"Yeah, they did," I said.

"No, that was only in the movie."

It hit me. She was right. The camera crews that showed up the day Selena died were far from the action. There's no way they could have picked up what Saldívar was saying to the cops. How had I misremembered that?

Selena the movie, which came out in 1997, two years after the singer's death, cemented her legacy as Mexican America's darling. It told the story of her childhood and her rise to fame. It painted a portrait of a talented, sexy yet wholesome, humble, almost flawless star cut down in the prime of her life. As kids, we watched the movie constantly. And at some point, Selena the movie imprinted on my childhood in a way that became almost indistinguishable from Selena in real life.

This scene didn't actually happen on the news - just in the movie's retelling.

This was true for a lot of Mexican- and Latino-Americans. The late Lupe Ontiveros, who portrayed Yolanda Saldívar in the movie, once said that for years after the film came out, Selena's fans would hiss at her when she was in public places . She would have to explain that she shared their feelings.

A friend of mine in college had a picture of Selena on his desk — except it wasn't Selena. It was a picture of Jennifer Lopez as Selena in the movie. I never asked whether he knew that, although now I wonder.

Today, many of the references we make to Selena when talking about her come from the movie, not from her own mouth or things that actually happened. Say this line to any U.S.-raised Mexican child of the '90s — "Anything for Salinas!" — and he or she will tell you it was spoken by two awestruck and sheepish cholos who helped out when Selena's tour bus got stuck in a ditch.

Did that even really happen? I have no idea. And I guess I don't really care. For young fans like us, Selena the movie mattered almost as much as Selena's music because it gave us a way to connect with her story. When Selena died, we were old enough to love her, but too young to fully grasp her importance to our community. Then the movie came out, and we understood.

These are only a few of the Mexican-American movies I watched growing up. There are a bunch more — La Bamba, El Norte, Stand and Deliver . What movies did you watch as a little person of color, and why were they important for you? Let us know in the comments or tweet us @nprcodeswitch .

• Los Angeles
• mexican american

The Movie My Family/ Mi Familia: Mise en Scene Analysis

Possible influences of monet and rivera.

The movie My Family ( Mi Familia ), directed by Nava in 1995, offers many interesting visuals that showcase the view of Mexican American culture. The film starts with shots of Mexico, including some shots of nature, slowly shifting toward a town with people. Moreover, in the first act, the film includes many scenes of Mexico, which is described through the story of the character. Thus, the visual representation of the narrative is essential here, and one may think about the art that could influence the director’s choice of scenery.

First of all, the most notable feature of the described shots is the use of a limited color palette. In most shots, red and brown tones and an overall warm light are chosen for the mise en scène. It is possible to pose that this decision was made based on the natural amount of light in the region and the landscape. A similar use of red-brown tones can be observed in the paintings of Rivera. In an early work, “The House on the Bridge,” Rivera uses a limited number of colors to create a warm atmosphere, where water, buildings, and trees are of the same red-brown tone. The use of warm undertones is present in many famous works of the painter, and one of Rivera’s murals shows that even white is warm and bathed in sunlight. Similarly, Nava’s scenery is influenced by the weather and the country’s warmth.

The color palette also shows a connection between the shots of Mexico from where one of the characters travels and Los Angeles, California, the destination. The words from the movie that the border between countries was “just a line in the dirt” is further strengthened by imagery – the colors do not change between the two places. Thus, the film implies that, in the story, these territories are the same for the characters. Although the city is something new for the traveler, the landscape and nature are familiar.

Nonetheless, other shots that are placed in-between moments with a limited palate have distinct contrasts between the sky and greenery. Here, one can see a resemblance to the paintings of Monet, such as “The Poppy Field in Argenteuil” and “La Grenouillére.” The painter separates the blues sky and water from the green trees and grass, creating a vibrant image of bustling nature. In the same way, Nava presents some of the shots in which the tone suddenly shifts from sun-filled pictures to landscapes with an apparent contrast between the colors.

It is vital to note that most shots still focus on nature and show how the life of the characters is distant from urban development. Most notably, the composition of the scenes resembles Monet’s choice to view the scenery from afar. In both “The Poppy Field in Argenteuil” and “La Grenouillére,” Monet shows people, but their faces cannot be distinguished because they are far away or in the shadow. Nava places his characters in a similar way, in a corner or the side of the screen. Rivera’s depiction of field workers in “Flower Vendor” is what could have inspired Nava’s opening scenes. Nava uses bright colors and shows massive bouquets being collected by women – their clothes and labor are related to those depicted by Rivera in his works.

Visual Themes and the Narrative

The scene in My Family , where Chucho argues with his father, José, has a setting that contributes to the dynamic and tone of the story. First, the father receives the news about his older son from the police, while the rest of the family stands in the background. Here, the red wall is near the telephone, separating the world, in which the bad news is already known, from the green walls where the mother and children are. Notably, the red wall is illuminated by a lamp as though the room is dark, while the green walls are in the sunlight. One may interpret this distinction as the contrast of superficial and natural, dishonest and sincere.

When Chucho returns home, this contrast appears again between José and his son. José stands on the left, near green walls, and Chucho is beside the red entrance. When the camera pans on the father, his color is unaffected by the red glow, and Chucho’s whole image is influenced by his surroundings. Here, the color and the location of the walls are crucial to portraying the divide that the family has encountered. José wants his family to remember his and his wife’s struggle, but remember that one’s dignity is the most important part of life. In contrast, Chucho’s values are different – he sees America as a place where money is the only possible source of respect.

Another significant point that further shows the divide between the two generations is that José and Chucho stand near the entrance’s corner, and a wall splits the shot into two parts. José stands in the main part of the house, where he has lived for a long time – it has pictures, furniture, and other mementos of the life that he experienced in the country. Chucho’s side of the shot is not empty as well – nonetheless, the darkness of the wall mutes all colors on the items and makes them look dirty and tarnished. Finally, the wardrobe of the characters is telling – José changes into a black shirt while waiting for his son, displaying grief over his family’s decline. Chucho’s clothes make him blend in with the red environment, implying his desire to conform to the cruel reality.

Nava, Gregory, director. My Family . New Line Cinema, 1995.

Cite this paper

• Chicago (N-B)
• Chicago (A-D)

StudyCorgi. (2022, January 12). The Movie My Family/ Mi Familia: Mise en Scene Analysis. https://studycorgi.com/the-movie-my-family-mi-familia-mise-en-scene-analysis/

"The Movie My Family/ Mi Familia: Mise en Scene Analysis." StudyCorgi , 12 Jan. 2022, studycorgi.com/the-movie-my-family-mi-familia-mise-en-scene-analysis/.

StudyCorgi . (2022) 'The Movie My Family/ Mi Familia: Mise en Scene Analysis'. 12 January.

1. StudyCorgi . "The Movie My Family/ Mi Familia: Mise en Scene Analysis." January 12, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/the-movie-my-family-mi-familia-mise-en-scene-analysis/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "The Movie My Family/ Mi Familia: Mise en Scene Analysis." January 12, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/the-movie-my-family-mi-familia-mise-en-scene-analysis/.

StudyCorgi . 2022. "The Movie My Family/ Mi Familia: Mise en Scene Analysis." January 12, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/the-movie-my-family-mi-familia-mise-en-scene-analysis/.

This paper, “The Movie My Family/ Mi Familia: Mise en Scene Analysis”, was written and voluntary submitted to our free essay database by a straight-A student. Please ensure you properly reference the paper if you're using it to write your assignment.

Before publication, the StudyCorgi editorial team proofread and checked the paper to make sure it meets the highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, fact accuracy, copyright issues, and inclusive language. Last updated: January 12, 2022 .

If you are the author of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal . Please use the “ Donate your paper ” form to submit an essay.

--> My Family Essay Sample

The film “My Family” is an American drama which was written by Anna Thomas and Nava Gregory directed by Nava in 1995. The starts of the movie include Jimmy Smits, Esai Morales and Paco (Edward James Olmos). My Family tracks 3 generations of a family (Mexican-American), which migrated to East Los Angeles from Mexico. This family is characterized by cultural conflicts through the three generations, which consequently affect the behaviors of their members.

“My Family” story started with José Sanchez who travels (by foot) to Los Angeles from Mexico, starts a new life with a distant relative, El Californio. By then, Los Angeles was part of Mexico, and El Californio before he dies wants to associate with Mexico as opposed to Los Angeles, hence he instructs that his tombstone should note that when he was born and even as he dies the land of birth and death remains to be Mexico. José married Maria (American citizen) who was later illegally deported by United Sates government to Mexico, but returns two years later through a long arduous trip. El Californio and Maria’s endeavors and conflicts are associable with their cultural background; the desire to be associated with their land (of birth and marriage respectively) determines their conduct.

The 2 nd generation is characterized by Chucho’s (Maria’s son) fate. During a dance, after his sisters’ (Irene) wedding, Chucho’s rival (Butch Mejia) becomes a bother to Chucho, leading to a conflict and Chucho accidentally stabs Mejia to death. Chucho became a fugitive and is later shot dead by LAPD before his brother Jimmy. Chucho’s conduct to his death is dominated by cultural conflicts. He was affectionate about his homeland such that even after the incident, he did not run far from home, making it easier for the LAPD to catch-up with him.

The third generation is characterized by assimilation, acculturation, and past family problems. Jimmy after witnessing his brother’s death followed his footsteps and became a fugitive and is later jailed.  Toni, Jimmy’s sister decides to get married to a priest, though she had been a nun. Jimmy married Isabel, Salvadoran refugee, to save her from being deported and eventually he loves her. Isabel became pregnant, but dies after delivering their son; Carlitos causing enraged Jimmy to attack the doctor and burglarize a store causing him to be jailed. Curlitos is raised by Jimmy’s parents. Jimmy does not want to associate with the son but later loves him but the son hates him, but later accepts him. Jimmy’s character draws much from past experiences of witnessing Chucho and Isabel’s deaths. 

Related essays

• Mulatto Girl Beauty
• London’s Greatest Landmarks
• The Little Black Dress

Authorization

Our Specialization

• Plagiarism-Free Papers
• Free revisions
• Free outline
• Free bibliography page
• Free formatting
• Free title page
• 24/7/365 customer support
• 300 words per page

My Family Mi Familia Essay

In this section the materials which are use to investigate will be described. The first material is an American movie My Family, Mi Familia from 1995. The languages of the film are English and Spanish. The movie tells the story of Sanchez's family during 70 years. They are Mexican - Americans living in Los Angeles, California in the USA. Their language change through times, the father speaks Spanish and then learn English. Their children speak both English and Spanish in different frequency. However, English is their native language. Sometimes, they speak mostly English sometimes mostly Spanish. The dialect which they use is Chicano English. Chicano English has been created through ages among bilingual Chicanos which are Mexican-Americans in …show more content…

She is fourteen-year-old, Mexican-American and she is preparing to the huge ceremony to celebrate her fifteenth birthday. Quinceañera is a traditional ceremony of girl's fifteenth birthday. It is celebrate in Latin America and in Latino communities in the United States . This birthday is more important than others because for young girl this is a moment of the transition from childhood to young womanhood. Families spend a lot of money to prepare ostentatious party and buy glamorous dress for daughter. Sometimes family save money for quinceañera from the very first day of daughter. Magdalena's family have traditional value system from Mexico. As many bilingual Mexican-Americans characters from the movie often switch from English to Spanish. Woman Hollering Creek by Sandra Cisneros is a short story about Cleófilas. She is Mexican and lives in Seguín, Texas with her husband Juan Pedro Martínez Sánchez. She loves watching telenovelas and she believes that her marriage will be the same as in the TV. However, her husband is unfaithful and often leaves her alone. She has depression and identify herself with La Llorona, a ghost of a woman from Mexican folklore legend. However, she meets two independent Mexican-American woman Felice and Graciela. They help her to go back to

Analysis Of Quixote's Soldiers By David Montejano

“Por primera vez en mi vida, comence a guachar como se portaban los batos, como eran las rucas, como pensaba la mayoria de la raza aca en los barrios.” “For the first time in my life, I began to see how the guys behaved, how the women were, how the majority of the people in the barrios thought.” When he put sources, he would put them exactly how the person stated it in Spanish; then he would rewrite an English version in case the reader couldn’t understand the Spanish version. Otherwise it would have been a very hard book to read and comprehend. Being able to speak the Spanish language gives him the identity and credibility of a Chicano.

Summary Of The New Latino Studies Reader A Twenty-First-Century Perspective

The children are angry at their father because he does not spend time with them, so they constantly tell Talia to leave him. “Talia is enacting more than one image of femininity. On the one hand, she feels bound by the requirement of ranchera or Ticuani migrant femininity that a woman stay with her husband even when unhappy” (450). Talia herself has noticed that Mexican women tend to suffer a lot when it comes to marriage because of ranchera femininity. She talks about what her Puerto Rican friend who says, “You can be screwed in life chingada, but there you are, see?’

Woman Hollering Creek Analysis

The reader first sees a sense of ownership on Cleófilas in the first line, when her father, “Don Serafín gave Juan Pedro Martínez Sánchez permission to take [her] as his bride, across her father’s threshold” (Cisneros 43), Cleófilas is seen as property rather than a being, indicating that she usually does not make decisions for herself. She lacks self-definition throughout the story, especially when she gives in to the demands by her husband, especially when she is lacking passion in the relationship. It is what she “has been waiting for… whispering and sighing and giggling for, has been anticipating since she was old enough” (Cisneros 44). Cleófilas wants this passion in her life, however, she starts to believe that the type of passion she is seeking for is “in its purest crystalline essence” (Cisneros 44), only to be found in the telenovelas she watches. She starts to lose her sense of

What Are The Similarities Between Woman Hollering Creek And The Myths

She explains how at a young age she had to help her grandma and begins to recall memories of her grandmother and share them with the readers. Both stories highlight the lives of Mexican women that live in the United States and bring focus to the challenges they face in balancing the expectations of their own culture with those of a different society. The theme of both stories is the cultural struggles along with the ability to maintain their own identities at the same time all while having the pressure weighed on them when fitting society's expectations. Both stories express the gender norms and the oppression that are placed on both women from each story by having Cleofilas be in an abusive marriage and Ana is expected to live up to the religious/cultural expectations set on her. The settings in which the stories take place are important due to the fact that they are both

My English By Julia Alvarez Summary

Class ESL 5 In the article, ”My English” by Julia Alvarez, the author wrote about her experience as she learn to speak English. Spanish was her mother tongue and struggled to speak English in the early phases. She thought that English was a form of Spanish, as there are different dialects in Spanish. Her parents spoke English when they didn’t want her and her siblings to know what was going on.

Analysis Of The Distance Between Us By Reyna Grande

Their family’s dysfunctionality is often highlighted by the weight illegal immigration carries and how burdened they children feel in regards to their family. Mago provides the unconditional love and support Reyna needed in order to grow up to be as successful as her is now. When Grande’s father comes to Mexico, he originally plans to only bring back Mago, but she sternly declares that she “won’t go… if [he doesn’t] take Reyna” (149). Mago was more than prepared to spend the rest of life in Mexico instead of America if it meant that Reyna would be by her

Hispanic American Cultural Characteristics

However, the culture I will focus on is the Hispanic Americans. The children and their family primarily speak Spanish, which is typical because the parents originated from places where Spanish and Portugal was the only language. To name a few places where Spanish is normally spoken, you have Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Spain, and the Dominican Republic. Which leads me to discuss the two words Hispanic and Latino. Over the years, many people judge this diverse group by not knowing or understanding their culture.

Familial Capital Essay

From Yosso’s article I choose to do it on Culture Capital Narrative on Familial Capital. Familial Capital is a capital about information on family and extended family that has given your life by their own memories and cultural values. Familial Capital is a theme I can really connect well with my family and myself. My family has given me information on their on life and personal experiences they have gone through and cultural values they follow and respect.

Gloria Anzaldúa How To Tame A Wild Tongue Thesis

Gloria Anzaldúa, in the essay “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” (1987), claims her experiences as a Chicano taught her that her culture was not looked at highly in comparison to the English language. Anzaldúa argues her view about her Chicano language by giving examples of both cultures Chicano Mexican and American cultures. Anzaldúa’s purpose is to inform her audience on how it is to grow up in a Chicano speaking family. Anzaldúa writes in a frustrating tone throughout the story of her life experiences. Thesis: Anzaldúa use of her personal experiences, and Music, Film and Literature are relevant sufficient and

Summary Of Cleofilas In 'Woman Hollering Creek'

“She had done nothing but reach up to the heat on her mouth and stare at the blood on her hand as if even then she didn’t understand (Cisneros).” Juan Pedro keeps this behavior up. A woman who goes by Felice changes Cleofilas idea on how a woman should be treated and their purpose to society. Felice helps Cleofilas escape her husband and takes her across the border back to Mexico.

Summary Of Bless Me Ultima By Roberto Anaya

According to the dictionary, a Chicano is a person of Mexican origin or descent. In Bless Me, Ultima Chicano culture can be seen through the traditions, expectations, and beliefs of Antonio’s family. For example, his mom is very serious about the Catholic religion and expects the whole family to be apart of it. Another example is the language that is spoken at home by the family is mainly in Spanish which is also the language spoken in Mexico. Lastly, is the importance of family.

Analysis Of Quinceanera

A girl discerns a bright pink dress, dazzling earrings, and a shining tiara in front of her in her room. She is reminded about her whole life changing after tonight and how she will now be considered an adult. As she looks in the mirror, she sees a girl but after tonight she will see a woman. she will see a woman. In Spanish countries around the world, friends and family gather as an immense party takes place for a girl who celebrates her transformation into adulthood.

Tame Wild Tongue

In “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” Gloria Anzaldua argues for the permission to define her own Chicano/ Feminist voice without being hindered by stereotypes and limitations. Gloria argues that, “wild tongues can’t be tamed, they can only be cut out,” but specifically argues that different accents stir up one big culture. She says “We oppress each other trying to oust Chicano each other, tying to be the “real” Chicanas, to speak like Chicanos.” meaning each Spanish is a variation of two languages, and that there’s different ways she speaks to others in certain situations like having two tongues. Gloria also argues that she shouldn’t be embarrassed by her language and accent by saying “I am my language” meaning her language is what makes her special and unique.

Stereotypes In Samuel Huntington's Article 'The Hispanic Challenge'

Yet for most Hispanics, speaking Spanish is a big part of their

Personal Essay: What Family Means To Me?

Cover Letter This essay made me do a lot of thinking about what family meant to me. There were a lot of words that came to mind but I came to the conclusion of only a few. There are SO many different definitions of family, love, support, etc.

More about My Family Mi Familia Essay

Related topics.

• United States
• English language

How Watching Family Movies Improves Your Relationships With Children

by Ryan Pell

August 13, 2021

A busy parent can watch and discuss cinema with their children as an effective and easy way of improving their relationship with them. It is amazing how watching a movie together can make a bond between a parent and a child stronger.

Families can empathize with the heroes who experience different life situations, feel proud when the heroes overcome difficulties, and rejoice when the hero finds what they want. 

Why Parents Should Watch Fun Movies With Their Kids

It is difficult for a parent to find a way to communicate with a kid or a teenager, so watching and discussing movies with children is an effective and easy method of improving kid-parent relationships. It also might be helpful if you are wondering how to talk to your teenager, how to restore your relationship after a quarrel, and how to spend the evening in a new way. Let's take a closer look at how fun movies can improve your relationships with children.

You Can Understand Better What Your Kid Likes

Discussion is necessary for emotional contact with your kid ; otherwise, the children might be left alone with their experiences and no one to talk through them. Share opinions, cry together, laugh, and ask questions.

"What question should I ask?" you may wonder. The topics you are interested in! Ask your child questions that are somehow connected to the movie plot. Movies are a form of both entertainment and education, so you can use them to ask serious questions about your children's attitude to life, education, or sex life. Don't be shy—this is the chance to learn more about your loved ones and maybe direct them. Give an opportunity for your kid to speak up about the things that bother them. 

You Can Discuss Delicate Topics

You can discuss delicate topics after watching the movie as well. Try doing that in the form of a game or by forming teams to vote "for" or "against." Find out what impressed or confused the child about the film. 

Remember that it is challenging to create a special atmosphere of communication , especially between a teenager and an adult. Try to achieve intimacy in this difficult relationship by watching a movie.

You Can Learn a Foreign Language Together

Learning a foreign language is more engaging while watching a movie. You can learn simple Spanish grammar rules , for example, watching Money Heist or Crazy About Her in Spanish.

Discussing grammar and language rules can add value to family movie nights; you and your children can boost foreign language skills and tighten your family connection. It is a fact that watching entertaining movies releases the hormone of joy, endorphin, which makes you happier and improves your relationships.

It is helpful to make notes while watching a movie in a foreign language, so you and the kids can refer to them afterward. The most important thing about watching a film to learn a language is to make sure everyone feels comfortable and understands the plot!

It's not always easy to find a balance between fun and education for our kids . But, watching movies with them is one of the best ways you can do both! We've put together some great recommendations that will be sure to please everyone in your family—from preschoolers up to adults. We have also provided tips on how you can use fun films as teaching tools for life skills such as empathy, patience, creativity, and more. Now all you have to do is to grab some popcorn (or cereal or pretzels) and scroll through Netflix to find something engaging to watch this evening!

For a great educational film that teaches children about their emotions and memories, order the Inside Out 4K Blu-ray here.

Create the perfect family movie night experience at home and order this  portable movie projector.

Essays About Movies: 7 Examples and 5 Writing Prompts

Check out our guide with essays about movies for budding videographers and artistic students. Learn from our helpful list of examples and prompts.

Watching movies is a part of almost everyone’s life. They entertain us, teach us lessons, and even help us socialize by giving us topics to talk about with others. As long as movies have been produced, everyone has patronized them.  Essays about movies  are a great way to learn all about the meaning behind the picture.

Cinema is an art form in itself. The lighting, camera work, and acting in the most widely acclaimed movies are worthy of praise. Furthermore, a movie can be used to send a message, often discussing issues in contemporary society. Movies are entertaining, but more importantly, they are works of art. If you’re interested in this topic, check out our round-up of screenwriters on Instagram .

5 Helpful Essay Examples 

1. the positive effects of movies on human behaviour by ajay rathod, 2. horror movies by emanuel briggs, 3. casablanca – the greatest hollywood movie ever (author unknown).

• 4.  Dune Review: An Old Story Reshaped For The New 2021 Audience by Oren Cohen

5. Blockbuster movies create booms for tourism — and headaches for locals by Shubhangi Goel

• 6. Moonage Daydream: “Who Is He? What Is He?” by Jonathan Romney
• 7. La Bamba: American Dreaming, Chicano Style by Yolanda Machado

1. My Favorite Movie

2. movies genres, 3. special effects in movies, 4. what do you look for in a movie, 5. the evolution of movies.

“​​Films encourage us to take action. Our favourite characters, superheroes, teach us life lessons. They give us ideas and inspiration to do everything for the better instead of just sitting around, waiting for things to go their way. Films about famous personalities are the perfect way to affect social behaviour positively. Films are a source of knowledge. They can help learn what’s in the trend, find out more about ancient times, or fill out some knowledge gaps.”

In this movie essay, Rathod gives readers three ways watching movies can positively affect us. Movie writers, producers, and directors use their platform to teach viewers life skills, the importance of education, and the contrast between good and evil. Watching movies can also help us improve critical thinking, according to Briggs. Not only do movies entertain us, but they also have many educational benefits. You might also be interested in these  essays about consumerism .

“Many people involving children and adults can effect with their sleeping disturbance and anxiety. Myths, non-realistic, fairy tales could respond differently with being in the real world. Horror movies bring a lot of excitement and entertainment among you and your family. Horror movies can cause physical behavior changes in a person by watching the films. The results of watching horror movies shows that is has really effect people whether you’re an adult, teens, and most likely happens during your childhood.”

In his essay, Briggs acknowledges why people enjoy horror movies so much but warns of their adverse effects on viewers. Most commonly, they cause viewers nightmares, which may cause anxiety and sleep disorders. He focuses on the films’ effects on children, whose more sensitive, less developed brains may respond with worse symptoms, including major trauma. The films can affect all people negatively, but children are the most affected.

“This was the message of Casablanca in late 1942. It was the ideal opportunity for America to utilize its muscles and enter the battle. America was to end up the hesitant gatekeeper of the entire world. The characters of Casablanca, similar to the youthful Americans of the 1960s who stick headed the challenge development, are ‘genuine Americans’ lost in a hostile region, battling to open up another reality.”

In this essay, the author discusses the 1942 film  Casablanca , which is said to be the greatest movie ever made, and explains why it has gotten this reputation. To an extent, the film’s storyline, acting, and even relatability (it was set during World War II) allowed it to shine from its release until the present. It invokes feelings of bravery, passion, and nostalgia, which is why many love the movie. You can also check out these  books about adaption . 

4.   Dune Review: An Old Story Reshaped For The New 2021 Audience by Oren Cohen

“Lady Jessica is a powerful woman in the original book, yet her interactions with Paul diminish her as he thinks of her as slow of thought. Something we don’t like to see in 2021 — and for a good reason. Every book is a product of its time, and every great storyteller knows how to adapt an old story to a new audience. I believe Villeneuve received a lot of hate from diehard Dune fans for making these changes, but I fully support him.”

Like the previous essay, Cohen reviews a film, in this case, Denis Villeneuve’s  Dune , released in 2021. He praises the film, writing about its accurate portrayal of the epic’s vast, dramatic scale, music, and, interestingly, its ability to portray the characters in a way more palatable to contemporary audiences while staying somewhat faithful to the author’s original vision. Cohen enjoyed the movie thoroughly, saying that the movie did the book justice. 

“Those travelers added around 630 million New Zealand dollars ($437 million) to the country’s economy in 2019 alone, the tourism authority told CNBC. A survey by the tourism board, however, showed that almost one in five Kiwis are worried that the country attracts too many tourists. Overcrowding at tourist spots, lack of infrastructure, road congestion and environmental damage are creating tension between locals and visitors, according to a 2019 report by Tourism New Zealand.”

The locations where successful movies are filmed often become tourist destinations for fans of those movies. Goel writes about how “film tourism” affects the residents of popular filming locations. The environment is sometimes damaged, and the locals are caught off guard. Though this is not always the case, film tourism is detrimental to the residents and ecosystem of these locations. You can also check out these  essays about The Great Gatsby .

6. Moonage Daydream:  “Who Is He? What Is He?” by Jonathan Romney

“Right from the start, Brett Morgen’s  Moonage Daydream  (2022) catches us off guard. It begins with an epigraph musing on Friedrich Nietzsche’s proclamation that “God is dead,” then takes us into deep space and onto the surface of the moon. It then unleashes an image storm of rockets, robots, and star-gazers, and rapid-fire fragments of early silent cinema, 1920s science fiction, fifties cartoons, and sixties and seventies newsreel footage, before lingering on a close-up of glittery varnish on fingernails.” 

Moonage Daydream  is a feature film containing never-before-seen footage of David Bowie. In this essay, Romney delves into the process behind creating the movie and how the footage was captured. It also looks at the director’s approach to creating a structured and cohesive film, which took over two years to plan. This essay looks at how Bowie’s essence was captured and preserved in this movie while displaying the intricacies of his mind.

7. La Bamba:  American Dreaming, Chicano Style by Yolanda Machado

“A traumatic memory, awash in hazy neutral tones, arising as a nightmare. Santo & Johnny’s mournful “Sleep Walk” playing. A sudden death, foreshadowing the passing of a star far too young. The opening sequence of Luis Valdez’s  La Bamba  (1987) feels like it could be from another film—what follows is largely a celebration of life and music.”

La Bamba  is a well-known movie about a teenage Mexican migrant who became a rock ‘n’ roll star. His rise to fame is filled with difficult social dynamics, and the star tragically dies in a plane crash at a young age. In this essay, Machado looks at how the tragic death of the star is presented to the viewer, foreshadowing the passing of the young star before flashing back to the beginning of the star’s career. Machado analyses the storyline and directing style, commenting on the detailed depiction of the young star’s life. It’s an in-depth essay that covers everything from plot to writing style to direction.

5 Prompts for Essays About Movies

Simple and straightforward, write about your favorite movie. Explain its premise, characters, and plot, and elaborate on some of the driving messages and themes behind the film. You should also explain why you enjoy the movie so much: what impact does it have on you? Finally, answer this question in your own words for an engaging piece of writing.

From horror to romance, movies can fall into many categories. Choose one of the main genres in cinema and discuss the characteristics of movies under that category. Explain prevalent themes, symbols, and motifs, and give examples of movies belonging to your chosen genre. For example, horror movies often have underlying themes such as mental health issues, trauma, and relationships falling apart. 

Without a doubt, special effects in movies have improved drastically. Both practical and computer-generated effects produce outstanding, detailed effects to depict situations most would consider unfathomable, such as the vast space battles of the  Star Wars  movies. Write about the development of special effects over the years, citing evidence to support your writing. Be sure to detail key highlights in the history of special effects. 

Movies are always made to be appreciated by viewers, but whether or not they enjoy them varies, depending on their preferences. In your essay, write about what you look for in a “good” movie in terms of plot, characters, dialogue, or anything else. You need not go too in-depth but explain your answers adequately. In your opinion, you can use your favorite movie as an example by writing about the key characteristics that make it a great movie.

From the silent black-and-white movies of the early 1900s to the vivid, high-definition movies of today, times have changed concerning movies. Write about how the film industry has improved over time. If this topic seems too broad, feel free to focus on one aspect, such as cinematography, themes, or acting.

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the  best essay checkers .

If you’re looking for more ideas, check out our  essays about music topic guide !

Meet Rachael, the editor at Become a Writer Today. With years of experience in the field, she is passionate about language and dedicated to producing high-quality content that engages and informs readers. When she's not editing or writing, you can find her exploring the great outdoors, finding inspiration for her next project.

View all posts

The Story of Us (1990): A Happy Family? Essay (Movie Review)

Introduction, procreation and recreation.

Good relationships between a woman and a man are difficult to preserve. Real-life is not a fairy-tale where couples live happily ‘till the death separates them.’ One has to make a lot of effort and be patient to create a happy family getting through all difficulties together. There are a lot of family movies that show family values on the screen. The Story of Us is one such movie that is better to watch together with the whole family.

This movie is a good example of the relationship between a man and a woman. The main characters are Ben and Katie Jordan who are the spouses. Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer play these parts. This happy couple having lived together for 15 years, experiences some difficulties in their relationships. They cannot understand the paradox of life when the qualities that they were attracted by before became the reason for the distance between the two of them. Katie Jordan who fell in love with Ben’s playfulness, unpredictability, and imagination gets disappointed and becomes to judge his childish naivety. There are a lot of factors that make people different. They are not only traits that influence the life of two people but their education or religious beliefs. Although the designer and the writer seem to have a lot of common things together Katie and Ben have different values in their lives as has been found out later. Ben remains a romantic person, he still believes in happy endings. Katie compares Ben’s philosophy with a children’s book. Sometimes people are too different to live together. They may fascinate each other spending some time together but living together is too difficult for them. The person may be loved by another one when he/she occupies some of his/her private space but the attitude to the person may be changed completely if he/she occupies all this space while living together. When Ben and Katie were not a married couple, she was fascinated by his romanticism, but she got bored and understood she underestimated it when they got married. The Jordans found the temporary separation as a solution to this problem. They decided to live apart while their children, Josh and Erin were spending their time at the summer camp. What was the real reason for their separation? Did they fall out of love with each other?

Family needs a lot of effort to be kept together. It is necessary to make concessions in an everyday life and sometimes make a martyr of oneself. Although the marriage is based on love and passion, these are not enough to keep a happy family. Respect and support are also very important in the marriage. Although Katie and Ben have chosen separation as the solution to their problem, they think about their children and try to keep the family together to make them happy. There is the belief that procreation unites the couple; couples who have children are more likely to live together despite all difficulties and disagreements than those who do not have children. Procreation is a worthy cause for recreation . When there are no children in the family it seems that nothing connects you with the beloved person. In The Story of Us Katie and Ben try to maintain the façade of a happy family for their children sending them to the summer camp while they understand what goes wrong in their family. They need some rest from each other. It seems for them that living apart is the only solution to their problem.

Ben and Katie can both be different. They try to show everyone that they are a happy family; when they are alone, they quarrel with each other all the time they are together. More than that, they have their private selves that are concealed from the outer world. They have to use pretense to separate their children from the real problems of their family (Levy, 1999).

This story demonstrates that the marriage consists not only of happy times but of challenging problems, day-to-day grind, boring routine, and other momentous events that cool off feelings and passion (Levy, 1999). It is necessary to add firewood to light the previous feelings. Sometimes married couples achieve the recreation of their relationships and sometimes there is not a happy end to their fascinating story of love.

The Story of Us touches upon the range of debatable questions concerning marriage. This movie presents the everyday life of the couple who has lived for 15 years with problems and quarrels. This couple having realized that there is something wrong with their relationship, decides to live apart. It is difficult to find the reason for such separation after 15 years of living together. Maybe they have made a mistake to get married or they have never loved each other. There is no couple that does not face such problems but the desire to keep the family leads to recreation .

Levy, E. (1999). The Story of Us . Web.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, June 15). The Story of Us (1990): A Happy Family? https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-story-of-us-film-from-a-family-study-perspective/

"The Story of Us (1990): A Happy Family?" IvyPanda , 15 June 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/the-story-of-us-film-from-a-family-study-perspective/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'The Story of Us (1990): A Happy Family'. 15 June.

IvyPanda . 2022. "The Story of Us (1990): A Happy Family?" June 15, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-story-of-us-film-from-a-family-study-perspective/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Story of Us (1990): A Happy Family?" June 15, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-story-of-us-film-from-a-family-study-perspective/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Story of Us (1990): A Happy Family?" June 15, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-story-of-us-film-from-a-family-study-perspective/.

• Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in a Young Girl
• Health Promotion Model: Diet Options
• Novel by Nick Hornsby “How to be Good”
• Correlation Between Mismatched Libido and Marital Discord
• Same‐Sex Couples, Families, and Marriage
• Marriage Premium for Professional Athletes
• PSDM Model Usage in Solving Family Conflicts
• Pornography Being “The Crack Cocaine of Sex Addiction”

Talk to our experts

1800-120-456-456

• My Family Essay

Essay on My Family

A family is God’s greatest gift to all living beings on earth including human beings. A person without family and its love is never complete and happy. A family is one with whom you can share all your joys and sorrows. Family stands by you at the toughest situations in life. Family gives you the warmth and affection that you may not get anywhere else. I too am blessed with such a family. My family has always been my strength. My mother, father, sister and I complete my family.

My Mother 

My mother is the strongest woman I have ever seen in my life. She is a super woman. She can manage everything at the same time so beautifully and confidently. She is a fine individual with poise and dignity. She is the pivot around whom our family revolves. She has raised us with important values in life. She explained to us the true essence of love and compassion. She also tells us the importance of spirituality. She has given utmost importance to our education. She coordinates with our teachers in school and helps us with our weaknesses. My mother is an amazing cook and takes care of what we like to eat. She’s  just not a housewife. She is an entrepreneur too. She owns a restaurant managing a staff of 30 boys. It is indeed not an easy job but she manages everything very efficiently. She is an inspiration to all of us. She is indispensable to our family.

My father is a man of strong principles. His presence at home itself gives us a sense of security and hope. He is very gentle, disciplined and strict. He is a software engineer by qualification and works for a multinational company. Since the headquarters of his company is in The United States of America, he frequently needs to travel. I know he feels very sorry that he is not able to spend much time with us due to work pressure and travel but whenever he is at home he makes the best of it. He has a good sense of humor. He makes us laugh with his jokes and keeps telling us about his work experience. I get a lot of insight from it and clarity of what field I can take when I grow up. I have learnt a most important and valuable lesson from him that is being content in life with whatever I have. The atmosphere in our home becomes so cheerful and joyful when he is around. It gives a feeling of a complete family. He is a dutiful son towards his mother. Even though my grandmother doesn’t live with us, my father carries all his duties and responsibilities for her very diligently. I feel proud to be his son. I want to grow like him and take care of my parents the way he does.

My sister is three years older than me. She is a very soft and gentle girl. She is my best friend and a confidant. We fight on silly things but I know she really cares for me and loves me a lot. She always protects me from getting scolded by my mother. She is an artist and helps me with all my drawings. My sister supports and stands by me when seniors in my school bully me. I feel very secure around her when I am away from my parents.

To Conclude

My family has taught me to be a better person. I am blessed and fortunate enough to have such a wonderful family who has taught me important values in life. I am very grateful and I thank God for the most precious gift.

The childrens who live with a mother and a father are known as a small discern family. A couple in which more than two children reside is referred to as a huge discern family. And a family in which mother, father and youngsters, besides grandparents, uncles and aunts, a circle of relatives stays together is referred to as a joint family . My family is a small joint family. Apart from siblings, mother and father, grandparents also stay with us. Our family plays a crucial role within the making of any development. With the increase in the circle of relatives, India climbs the ladder of improvement. The country is formed by way of its own family and global fashion with the aid of nations. This is why it's far stated, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” means the entire world is our circle of relatives. And it had superb importance in ancient India, which is slowly becoming extinct with time. A primary purpose for this is the conversion of the joint family into the unique circle of relatives.

Significance of Family in My Lifestyle

My own family, despite being a joint own family, is a happy family. And I am glad that I was born in this joint circle of relatives. wherein it became simplest through our own family that we had been able to study the critical things of existence in our children which we could rarely analyze thru books. each of my parents ' paintings in faculty. At some point during my stay at home, my siblings and I spoke many topics with our grandparents, which is quite exciting. Other than this, we also have one of our dogs, who is a part of our circle of relatives.

Family as Safety Clause

A family provides safety from outside evils and risks, that is, the man or woman is protected from all varieties of outside failures within their own family, in addition to the physical, mental and highbrow improvement of a character is due to the circle of relatives. The circle of relatives creates a secure environment for the kid and all our expectations and wishes are met via the family. My circle of relatives is a middle-class family, still my mother and father try their best to fulfill each of mine and my siblings wishes. The love from the circle of relatives towards me takes me closer to my family and helps me recognize my obligations in the direction of my own family. A person additionally will become a responsible citizen of society by the habit of spitting out his responsibilities. Every family individual faces hassle collectively during their difficult time.

Importance of Elders Inside the Family

A joint family in which our elders (grandparents, grandparents) stay with us, is the most important thing to focus on as they are not part of the authentic circle of relatives so that kids are deprived of understanding many critical beliefs and values. In advance, children used to play on time and additionally concentrate on the tales of grandparents, which gave them information, however the kids of the prevailing time use mobile from their adolescence to play. The authentic family has additionally taken away the kid’s formative years.

What the child will become inside is the destiny that depends totally on the child’s own family. With the help of the proper steerage, even a susceptible baby kisses is a brand new dimension of achievement inside the future. On the contrary, a brilliant student forgets his intention due to wrong steering and is left at the back of inside the race of life.

FAQs on My Family Essay

1. How can you Define a Family?

A family is a group of people who are related and live together in every situation. Family normally comprises mother, father, sister, brother, grand parents, uncles and aunts.

2. Why is Family Important?

Family is important to us because it gives us the warmth, love and affection that you may not get anywhere in the world. Family teaches the high moral values in life and makes you a better human being.

3. How does your father inspire you?

My father inspires me with his hard work, honesty and diligence. He is very loving and caring and binds the entire family together.

4. Why should you thank god for giving a family?

I thank God and am very grateful for the most precious gift of family because family members give unconditional love, care and affection. I am what I am because of my family. My family completes me.

We use cookies to enhance our website for you. Proceed if you agree to this policy or learn more about it.

• Essay Database >
• Essay Examples >
• Essays Topics >
• Essay on Emotions

Ordinary People; Family Movie Essay

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Emotions , Evidence , Film , Communication , Cinema , Parents , Family , Belief

Words: 2750

Published: 03/04/2020

ORDER PAPER LIKE THIS

Brief synopsis of the storyline

“Ordinary people” is a simple, but painful emotional story evolving around an upper-middle class family residing in Lake Forest, Illinois. This film tells of the crumbling of this family after the death of the eldest son in a boating accident. It goes in-depth to tell us of Beth, a profound perverse narcissistic mother who tries to find success only in the social custom of appearances and their approval by hiding behind her mother status. Beth, who is the family mother, has installed coldness of heart, ostentation of feelings and lack of empathy as the usual mode of living in her home by acting blind to matters and feelings of her family. The story is mainly based upon Conrad, the youngest son in the family, who has faced great suffering resulting from his mother’s attitude and atmosphere in the family. He responds with depression, guilt, and to the most serious level he attempts suicide. All this happens because Conrad, as a normal teenager does not have the ability to decode this artificial ostentation and come up with the connections. This happens until he is assisted by a dedicated Dr Berger and subsequently finds his way out with his father after his mother parts way with the family. Define this family (i.e., traditionally--legal and biological? non-traditionally--emotional and social

Connections? Both?)

Jarrett’s family lacks emotional and social connections that a fundamental factor in a well-running family. This can be explained but not limited to the various occurrences and experiences in the family. For instance, there is a lack of communication or what we may call effective communication in this family. Moreover, disagreements over what is the priority to each member of the family keep on cropping up. For example, this is evident in the situation where there was a disagreement between Jarrett and Beth on whether to go on for vacation or stay back home and take care of Conrad’s psychological needs. The family lacks in the social set up, as they never sought natural support from their immediate family members and allies in times when they were faced with crises. Beth is of the option that she must create a delusion of satisfaction to the outside regardless of the fact that this would lead her to neglecting her family’s needs. An interesting circumstance when this can be seen is when she finds out that Conrad had quit the swim team from a friend. She becomes very angry not because her son had quit the swim team, but because she had learnt this from another person rather than her son. The family lacks in effective communication. Conrad who is upset with his mother’s behaviors is not able to communicate in an appropriate manner and as such, finds solace in either lashing out or isolating himself. In the film, varying personal emotions, feelings, and anger which act or react within the family relationships are clearly evident. Each person in the family has patterns and habits which play a big role in the family dynamic.

Family members

The family consists of four members. Conrad, who is the protagonist of the novel, is the youngest son in the family. He has an older brother, Buck, who dies in a boating accident before the film plot begins. Calvin Jarrett, who is referred to as Cal throughout the film, is the father to Conrad and Buck and husband to Beth Garratt. Finally, there is Beth Jarrett, mother to Conrad and Buck and wife to Cal Jarrett.

Genogram: a visual representation of the family: Garrett’s family genogram

The family is an interactive system in which family members influence and are influenced by each other. Family members also serve some sort of purpose for the continued functioning of the family. Also remember that families can function in constructive and destructive ways, and all families do at least a little of both. With this in mind, look at the family members. What roles do they play in the family? All the family members play a different role in the functioning of the family. To begin with, Cal spent his childhood in an orphanage and as such, developed a deep desire to care and provide for his family. As a matter of fact, this is a major factor that led him to become a lawyer. Though he is materially comfortable, Cal harbors a deep sense of accountability which can be attributed to both of his sons’ adversities. Garrett’s major impediment is the inbuilt sense of helplessness in the face of fate. On the other hand, Beth, who exhibits a tightly controlled reaction to hardship plays a destructive role for the well being of the Garrett’s family. She conceals her feelings, and this has led to the emotional distance between her and the rest of the family members. Conrad also influences the functionality of this family in a huge way. Though it may seem as though he played a destructive role when he attempted suicide, this has proved to be constructive as it eventually builds up the family though after quite some huge loss. However, painful the process of escaping the the guilt is, Conrad is finally liberated and learns to love himself and others. Unlike his brother, Buck does not play a huge role in influencing the functioning of the family. His is natural and had nothing to do with the family. However, his death makes him the most important character in the film since it prompts the emotional hardship through which the family struggles throughout. Boundaries are physical and metaphorical lines of demarcation that indicate who is in and who is out in a family. Were boundaries an issue for this family & in what ways were they used? Boundaries are a great issue in the Garrett’s family. In “Ordinary People,” Cal exhibited enmeshment diffused boundaries with his son Conrad. Family boundaries are often evident in the manner in which the members arrange themselves in a given space. In the film, this is dramatically represented in the family photo scene and the dining room scene whereby all seem to be involved in individual practices not caring about the other. However, the boundaries in the Garrett’s family stand unclear because on one hand they were impermeable between Conrad and his mother and, on the other hand, the boundary with his father was diffuse. Moreover, family boundaries are evident as Beth’s mother reinforces the family rule of setting rigid boundaries when she advises Beth to be hard on her husband and also on her son. Finally, in the last scene, Cal tells Conrad that he was not as hard on him as he was with Buck. He says that he did not have the heart for such as Conrad was always hard on himself. On the other hand, Conrad tells his father that he did not tell him what he was going through because he thought that he was already going through a lot. He tells his father to be harder on him like he was with Buck. In this scene, Conrad and his father are re-negotiating and clarifying the boundaries between the parent/child family systems. Characterization of the power hierarchies in the family. Remember, power can be seen as an element of the structure in the family & is part of the process of "doing" family. There is an unhealthy power dynamic within the family. Beth, who is the mother in this family, makes most of the decisions such as checking the bills after returning from a trip. Her dire urge for so much power and control within the family leads to a great deal of tensions within the family. As such, Beth has more power in the family and is the decision maker. Cal, who, on the other hand, carries out the decisions, does not have as much as a necessary power to keep the family system integral. The unhealthy balance power operations explain the poor emotional and psychological connections within the family. Beth has issues with power and does not condone any coalitions between his husband and son. Family beliefs are the shared beliefs that exist in families. What evidence did you see of shared beliefs? Unshared beliefs? Were there any family beliefs that did not seem to take for any of the members? Why do you think this was? Garrett’s family has exhibited an existence of the shared beliefs. This is evidently seen as the family’s entire belief system which is developing and forming and especially in Conrad is shook up the death of Buck. The parents were not deeply struck by the loss of their first born and as such an effect was not profound and global. This is because their shared belief system was already well formed and was not as vulnerable. However, Beth did not share most of the family’s beliefs as she lacked affection and connection. She was emotionally detached from her family and the public in general being more concerned with other issues and social conventions. Family rules are guidelines for behavior of family members that are based on family beliefs and can be explicit (spoken of and public) or implicit (not spoken of and hidden). Identify some of these beliefs for the family in the movie & how did you know what the hidden beliefs were? One of the beliefs that are evident in this film is exhibited by Cal, who believes that talking is a way to heal and as such he wants to talk through the past with his family. However, Beth abhors his choice and wants to move on and leave the past behind. Secondly, Conrad believes that everything in his life is excessive, as all seems to be going against his will. One way in which families are able to maintain their sense of "family" is through the use of rituals, defined as "composed of metaphors, symbols, and actions that are 'packaged' in use highly condensed dramatic form to establish and maintain family identity." How did the family use rituals? The film applies a number of rituals. The first one is the use of different colors that represent the characters’ emotional states. Three colors occur most often. Blue represents anxiety and is evident in the color of Dr. Berger’s piercing eyes. Gray symbolizes failure with most of the descriptions of weather describing the gray sky of the early-winter Illinois. Finally, gold symbolizes truth or insight and is evident in ideas or characters that are highly valued as is Cal’s bathroom mirror. Water is also another symbol that is evident in the film in several different forms. It is the basis of the family’s conflict since Buck’s death in a boating accident is the sole cause of Conrad’s suicide attempt and the ensuing fallout. Finally, religious imagery is evident in the film with Christian slogans and imagery cropping up in a few scenes. Though they are relatively rare; they serve as a sense of right and wrong and as a symbol of guidance against which Conrad and Cal discover their own form of guidance. Prior generations tend to transmit their approach to life (including attitudes and values) to the next generation. Sometimes this is good, sometimes not. What evidence did you see of this in the family you viewed? Did you see anyone acting as a transitional character (i.e., a person who changes the course of the family in a positive way)? Beth was of the idea that she is always right in everything and as such transmitting a negative approach to life to her sons. She has always had a difficult time showing affection to others expect when she has the intention, and that is trying to get other people do things that she wants. She wants to pass this trait to her children that should not be the case. On the other hand, Calvin acts as a transitional character and has always been passive and wants to pass on positive attributes to his sons. His chief idea seems to make those around him and those who will come thereafter happy. As such, he has avoided conflict with his wife for a while and at times has even acted as a cheerleader than a parent to his son Conrad. Cal is frustrated by not being able to please those around him or to keep the peace in his family. He constantly has to choose to make one person happy at the expense of the other. Describe the emotional climate of this family. Are there indications of emotional legacies of past relationships that affect the relationships you see on screen? The emotional climate in Garratt’s family is cold and wanting. All the family members are emotionally stressed up. Cal is emotionally repressed as he is deeply moving in the difficult role of a father unable to comprehend as to why his family is breaking apart. Likewise, Beth is equally emotionally repressed as she was struggling to come to terms with her son’s loss. However, she is afraid of genuine emotion yet exudes an arrogant complacency and as such is emotionally distant from the other family members as well as the public in general. Just like his parents, Conrad is also emotionally disturbed. He is also struggling to come in terms with his brother’s death and more so to put up with his dictator mother. The film is truly extraordinary in terms of its emotional resonance and one would need to be made of hard wood not to be deeply moved by the manner these people tell the story. It provides a cautionary example of the problems of emotional non-expressiveness. This is evident and clear as we see a bunch of negative consequences of Beth’s unwillingness to acknowledge any unpleasant feelings. Though there are no direct indications of emotional legacies of past relationships affecting this family, one may tend to think that Beth and Garrett’s relationship had not been working in the past, and all they were doing is forcing life to move ahead. What evidence do you see of supportive communication in this family? Of defensive communication? How might they improve their communication skills? Supportive communication is definitely evident in the family between Conrad and his father. Though in the beginning this was not evident, Cal and his son are seen to hold a son to father talk supporting each other and talking on the way forward. On the other hand, defensive communication is also evident. This seen through Beth, who insists that she makes the rules and believes that whatever she says is right. As such, she finds herself in a compromising relationship with her family members as in the end no one is listening to her, and they have turned cold on her. She need to gain cognition about the manner in which she is defensively communicating with her son and family members. Through her defensive communication, Beth creates inflexibility boundaries blocking an easy way to communication among the family members. In order to improve their communication skills, the family needs to restructure their patterns of communications. Beth for instance needs helps gaining cognition about the ways she is failing to communicate with her son.

What are the methods of resolving conflict that you see?

The method of resolving conflicts that play a big role in this film is separation. This is evident as the film comes to an end when Beth eventually separates herself from the rest of the family. This will go a long way in assisting the family to resolve the existing problems of which would turn out difficult in the presence of Beth. This is also seen when Conrad attempts suicide. He was doing so in order to separate himself from the rest of the family and resolve his inbuilt conflicts.

How does family member deal with loss and/or stress?

There are several ways in which members of the Garrett family deal with loss or stress. For instance, Cal believed that visiting a psychiatrist was one method of dealing with stressful occurrences. He advises his son to start attending Dr. Berger’s counseling sessions in order to overcome his grief. Conrad, on the other hand, thought that committing suicide was also a way out in dealing with the loss of his brother. However, this proved not to be a solution as he sought elsewhere and finally recovered.

Cite this page

Share with friends using:

Removal Request

Finished papers: 464

This paper is created by writer with

If you want your paper to be:

Well-researched, fact-checked, and accurate

Original, fresh, based on current data

Eloquently written and immaculately formatted

275 words = 1 page double-spaced

Get your papers done by pros!

Other Pages

Real estate essays, hertz essays, helpdesk essays, inside job essays, leniency essays, mail fraud essays, escapist essays, epicureanism essays, alimony essays, factorials essays, fiberfill essays, fulfills essays, frugal essays, findley essays, school nurse essays, fanatics essays, example of the villain archetype as portrayed through othello and hannibal lecter essay, film noir and its criminal influence research paper example, haiti essay examples, free essay on the 1861 to 1865 civil war in america destroyed the city of mississippi leaving, example of essay on homosexual and heterosexual relations, under armour inc and subsidiaries fiscal year 2011 report, case study on mergers and acquisitions, example of retirement planning and employee benefits course work, example of the ideas of individualism and imperial slavery are also covered in this part of book review, free essay on andrew jackson and the battle of new orleans, social intangible of the companys performance essay examples, corporate culture article review sample, essay on howard beale in network, the harlem renaissance as a reaction to modernity research paper example, the origin of islam critical thinking examples, cpo mod 8 critical thinking sample, united states history of military and policy essay examples, free research paper on role of dental professionals in detecting and treating oral cancer, good example of oedipus cocteau and sophocles essay, general information regarding my internship essays examples, example of enhancing our international campus community essay, good missile launch by north korea essay example, free essay on george washington as a soldier, good the effects of unemployment on the economy research paper example, good research paper about use of contracting services for school transportation and custodial services, centuries book reviews.

Password recovery email has been sent to [email protected]

Use your new password to log in

You are not register!

By clicking Register, you agree to our Terms of Service and that you have read our Privacy Policy .

Now you can download documents directly to your device!

Check your email! An email with your password has already been sent to you! Now you can download documents directly to your device.

or Use the QR code to Save this Paper to Your Phone

The sample is NOT original!

Short on a deadline?

Don't waste time. Get help with 11% off using code - GETWOWED

No, thanks! I'm fine with missing my deadline

• About Project
• Testimonials

Business Management Ideas

Essay on My Family

List of essays on my family, essay on my family – short essay for kids in english (essay 1 – 250 words), essay on my family – for children (essay 2 – 300 words), essay on my family – paragraph (essay 3 – 400 words), essay on my family –topics (essay 4 – 500 words), essay on my family (essay 5 – 500 words), essay on my family – why i love my family (essay 6 – 500 words), essay on my family – for school students (class 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 standard) (essay 7 – 500 words), essay on my family (essay 8 – 750 words), essay on my family – long essay (essay 9 – 1000 words).

A family is one of the greatest gift god has given to all living creatures on the earth including humans. It is a privilege to have a happy family as not everyone in the world has it.

The joy of living with your parents, fighting with your siblings over petty can just make you smile the moment you think of it. In order to inculcate the values of a family in the students, we have composed some short essays for students.

These essays are suited for students of all ages and classes. Not only these essays shall give an insight on how a family should be but shall also enrich the students with the moral values of a family.

Audience: The below given essays are exclusively written for kids, children and school students.

Family is important to every one of us and we all love our family. Wherever we go in this world and whatever we may achieve, our heart and soul will always be in our home because it is where our beautiful family is. Nothing in this world can be stronger than the bonding of the blood . The members of the same family may have differences of opinions, may quarrel often for silly things but in spite of all these it is our family that supports us during our ups and downs.

As the saying goes, “ Family is the best thing you could ever wish for. They are there for you during the ups and downs and love you no matter what”.

Contrary to this saying, we cannot choose our family as we choose our friends. But I can say that I’m blessed with a wonderful family. My family is very small with four members – my mother, my father, my elder sister and me. My family is a middle class family and my father is officially the bread winner of our family. My mother supports him financially by taking tuitions for school children.

We do not have much money or wealth but what my family has in abundance is love for each other which cannot be replaced by anything else in this world. My father and my mother are the role models to my sister and me. They struggle a lot to give us a better life. More than anything they have taught us discipline and morals of life which is helping us to lead our lives in a righteous path even today.

I cannot ask anything more to God since he has already showered me with my family which I treasure the most every second and will safeguard even in the future.

The family is a valuable god gift which plays a most crucial role in every individual’s life. I love my family very much because all of my family members stand in my good as well as bad times. From moral teachings to love and support, my family has always helped me without any demand. There is no doubt that we experience our biggest triumphs when we really connect to them.

My family is like a strong pillar for me, on which I can rely blindly anytime I require support. From my family, I have learned the social graces of loyalty & cooperation.

My family consists of my grandfather, my grandmother, my mother, my father, two young sisters and myself. My grandparents are the pillars of my family and my grandfather is the head of my family. He is the one whose decision relating to any matter is final and all of us do respect it.

Right from my childhood, my family members have prepared me for the challenges that I’ll face in the years ahead. In addition to this, all of my family members help and serve each other at times of need. These qualities that I have learnt from my family has helped me to shape my adult life in a right manner.

I am really very attached to my grandfather. He holds an excellent life experience because he has already faced so many ups and downs. My Grandfather has helped me to build my perception & vision towards society.

My family has always been there to motivate and encourage me to overcome all difficulties in life and achieve success. The role of every member in my family is unique and important in their own way. I thank God that I have grown up in a family full of love and discipline. My family values will definitely help me in becoming a better person.

A person without family and its love never becomes completely happy in his/her life. I am complete and happy with my family that includes five members. My family is a group of five including me, father, mother, brother, and sister. Family bonding is a unique type of love that gives you every lesson needed to live a harmonious life.

Growing under the supervision of a caring and loving family will increase our social values and overall well-being. Each member of my family carries out equal responsibility in sculpting the strong bonding needed for a better future and develop moral importance in each other.

My father owns a successful business of office stationery store. He uses the money to cover all our expenses and give a better lifestyle to the family. He works hard day and night to get us better education, food, home, etc. He hides all his tiredness when he comes home after a long day to spend quality time with us.

My mother is a talented homemaker who also does a part-time tailoring at home. She does all her duties with at most interest, from taking care of us to all the household chores and finds time to pursue her passion as well. She is a multi-tasker and does all the tasks from helping us in our studies to preparing delicious healthy foods to sculpt us into a better human being.

My brother is an engineering graduate and does a job in a well-known company. He is my best well-wisher and helps me in all ups and downs. My sister is also an engineering graduate and an employee in an IT company. She always finds time to help me with all my difficulties and she is my secret keeper too.

My family is a lifeline to whom I can run to, whatever may be the situation I am facing. My family guides me to be a good person and help me in nurturing good values. We, humans, are animals that live together spreading love and care for each other, and this togetherness is called family. The absence of such a divine bonding make us equal to animals.

Family value and growing in such a caring surrounding helps me to pass all the struggles and hardships that I face in my daily life. Whatever be the situation we are facing, our family will never leave us alone. My family is a blessing for me and I value everyone in my family with equal respect and love.

Most of the people in the world are blessed with having a family. A family, with whom you can share all your joys and sorrows, who is there to guide you through your growing years, who stands by you in the toughest of the situations. I too am blessed to have such a family.

My family is one the most bizarre family in the world. We are four people, my mother, my father, my younger brother and me. While my father is the one who does work for a living, it is my mother who is the boss of the house. My father is a humble person. He is an officer in a government department. My mother is a housewife. It is our mother who takes care of our studies as our father is often busy with his official assignments and even travels for days together. We just miss him when he is not at home.

He never scolds us. But, our mother is just the opposite. She wants us to remain disciplined and we often get scolded by her. However, our father comes to our rescue most of the times. My brother, still in school is the one with whom I love to spend my time the most. Not because I love to play with him, but because, being the elder sister, I enjoy instructing him and showing him who is more powerful at home. He, at a time, seems so helpless when our mother says to obey his sister. I just love that moment. But not all days are the same. I hate having to study all along while he gets to play more than me.

The Atmosphere in my Family:

We largely have a peaceful atmosphere at home. After school, our time is spent on studying, playing and watching television, which of course our mother does not like. Unlike other couples, my mother and father seldom have a fight. In fact, as soon we see an argument brewing up, one of them just withdraws and it is just rare to see a heated conversation between them. This is what I like the most about them as I feel that my parents are so cool. It is only me and brother who love to fight with each other.

However, we know that behind those fights, it is actually our love for each other which binds us together. I just enjoy being at home spending time with my parents and my brother. I just feel how bad it would be when tomorrow I and my brother shall move on for our professional lives and we shall not be able to spend much time together. However, it is the memories of today which shall be with me forever and will bring a smile on my face anytime when I feel low.

The Importance of a Family:

A family is said to be the first school of a child. It is from here you start to learn how to speak, walk and interact with the world. It is important to value the importance of a family in one’s life. At times, people feel that they are grown-ups and that their parent’s advice does not matter anymore, but that is not true. It is the elders of the family who at any given of time would know the world better than us and we should all respect our family members and love our siblings as well. It is the family who builds our character and we should feel fortunate to have a family around us.

Introduction

My family values are what I take so dear to my heart because they have made me what I am today and I plan on passing these great values to my children in future. Every family has those things, acts and values that they hold in high esteem and they cherish so much. These vales have become a part of them: most times, it is what distinguishes the traits in each family and in some ways it makes or mars the future of the family members. Same applies to my family, we have some set values that has become a part of us and it has made my life a lot better because I have become a better person who is not only valuable to himself but also to the society at large. I will be sharing some of these values with you.

My Family Values:

Some of my family values include:

1. Honesty:

This is a principle that is highly protected in my family. My dad has this saying that, “honesty is the best policy.” Ever since I was little, my family has taught me how to be honest and the benefits that lie within. Sometimes, my parents even test us in ways we were not expecting and a reward is given to the person that comes out honest. This is one of my family values that I cherish so much and I am proud that it is what my family hold in high esteem.

2. Kindness to Others:

This is not a common trait to all. My mom has this belief that if the world and everybody in it shows love and kindness to one another, there will be no hatred and wars will be eradicated. This is a family value that we cherish so much. I learnt to show love to everybody. Even when we did not have much, my parents will still give to those who are needy. My dad says that the world is like a river, we would eventually flow into one another later and you do not know the future, the person you helped today might eventually be of help to you tomorrow.

3. Education:

This is a value that has been passed from generation to generation in my family. My dad would say that education is the best legacy you can give to a child. My family does everything in their capacity for you to get a sound and benefitting education. The acquisition of knowledge is also quite important. All of us try to gain more and more knowledge because we all have a family slogan that says “knowledge is power and that power makes me a hero.”

4. Dress and Appearance:

This is a religious value we cherish in my family. My dad would say that you are addressed the way you dress. I do not want to be address wrongly and give out a wrong impression. So, our appearance really matter a lot to us and the way we dress.

Conclusion:

Every family has one thing or the other that they hold in high esteem and tend to pass on from generation to generation. This is what makes a family a united sect not because we are related by blood but because of we share the same values.

Introduction:

Why I love my family is a question that has been floating through my mind for a very long time because no matter how hard I try to pin out a reason why I love them, I just can’t find one. This can be due to fact that they mean the whole world to me and I will do anything for them. I love my family a lot and I would like to share some of the reasons why I love my family and will never trade them for anything.

Why I Love My Family:

I have a family that consists of 6 people: my father, my mother and four children which includes me. For you to understand why I love my family I will tell you a little about each of them and why I love them so much.

My father is the best father in the world: well, that’s what I say. He is a business manager. I look up to my father a lot because I will like to take a lot of his behaviours and make it mine. He taught me to be contented with whatever I have. We did not have much when I was growing up; my dad lost his job and still did not allow anything of the pressure change how he behaved to us at home. He is caring, gentle, accommodating and disciplined.

My mum is the best cook in the world. I do not know where I would be today without my mum. I owe her a lot. She is a teacher by profession and this fascinates me a lot because not only is she inculcating knowledge in the young minds of tomorrow, she is also building the future of our society at large. I want to be like my mum. I remember those times when she had to sacrifice when the most precious of her things just to make me happy. She is loving, caring, understanding, accommodating. In fact, she is everything you can ever wish for in a mother.

My elder sisters are the best. Although they can be frustrating sometimes but that is mostly because of my stubbornness. They pretend they do not really care but deep inside they do. The things they do even subconsciously say otherwise. I remember a day in elementary school, I was being bullied a boy in class. On this particular day, he hit me. Unknowing to me, my sister heard about it and she beat the boy and made him apologise to me, I felt so happy that day because I had someone who had my back.

My brother is one of the best gifts I have received. He is the last child and this gives him an opportunity to be annoying if you know what I mean. He is joyful and always ready to heed correction. There was this day, I heard him bragging to his friends about how awesome I am, and I was the happiest that day.

We all have one reason or the other on why we love our family. I love mine because they are the best gift I could ever ask for and the fact that they have been there for me through the good, bad and funny times.

Importance of family is something that is greatly overlooked and underrated in the world we live in today. The definition that the family had about one hundred years before now was very clear. Back then, a family was believed to be a unit that consisted of the father that was in charge of the finances of the family, a mother whose primary duty was to look after the home and take care of the children and then there were the children. Largely based on the region you are from, a family can also include members of the extended family like aunts, uncles and grandparents. This type of family system is referred to as joint family.

Family Importance:

A family that is important is one that is very strong. If a family is going to be very strong, there is a need for the bond between them to be very strong. Bonds that help in keeping the members of a family with each other are relationships. If there are very strong relationships among all the members of a family, there is going to be stronger commitment between all of them and the family as a unit will be very important.

Better communication is also a result of family relationships that are very strong. If all the family members can take time out to talk and know each other well, the bond between them is bound to be very strong. Even if the conversations are about big things or small things, it does not really matter. The most important thing is that all family members stay connected to one another. It is very important that they all list to each other and understand every member.

How to make Family Bonds Very Strong:

We have various things that can help our family bond to improve.

A few of them include:

1. Love: love is the most important thing we need for our bonds as a family to improve. When we love the members in our family, we will also be able to know all about privacy, intimacy, caring, belonging and sharing. When there is love in a family, the family will prosper.

2. Loyalty: loyalty is something that comes as a result of love. Family members should stay devoted to each other. It is important that we are able to count on our family to have our back anytime we are facing problems.

The importance of family can never be overstated even though we live in a different time now and our attitudes to relationships, marriage and what a family should be has changed. The family is something that we need to help share our problems and be there for us anytime we have issues. A lot of the things that were not acceptable in the past and we now see as normal. Even with all the changes that the society has effected on our family system, the family still remains the major foundation of our society and this will remain the same.

My family is the best gift I have got. A family can be simply said to mean a social group of different people in our society that includes one or more parents and also their children. In a family, every member of the family commits to other members of the family in a mutual relationship. A family is a very important unit and the smallest unit in the society. A family whether a big one or a small one is of very great importance and use to all of its members and is believed to be the unit of our society that is strongest because the society is formed from the coming together and culmination of various families.

In many cultures, the family serves a child’s first school where the child learns all about their traditions and cultures more importantly learn about all the rudimentary values in life. A family is very essential in the teaching of healthy habits and good manners to all the members of the family. It gives the members of the family the opportunity to become people with better character in our society. I feel very lucky to be born into a small and lovely family; I learnt a lot of things from my family.

I am from a middle class and average family with six members (my father, my mother, my grandmother, my grandfather, my younger brother and me). My grandfather is the head of the family and we all respect and listen to him. He is really wise and tries to advise each and every one of us using his many life experiences. He has been involved in many interesting and adventurous activities that he tells me about all the time. Most of the time, he has the final say on all of our family issues and he does his best to make all his decisions impartial.

Any time we are eating today as a family, he sits at the top of the table; we all have designated seats at the dining table. When my brother and I are available, my grandfather teaches us about our traditions and cultures. My grandfather is very friendly and has a cool and great personality and tries to talk nicely and calmly to everyone passing across his message without being rude. He helps my brother and sometimes me with our assignments. He majorly teaches us about all of the tools we need to be successful in life including punctuality, discipline, moral, cleanliness, continuity, honesty, hard work and trustworthiness.

My lovely grandmother is one of the nicest people I know, she tells my brother and I lovely stories every night. My father is a civil engineer and he is very hardworking, sincere and punctual. He is the breadwinner of the family and does his best to provide for every member of the family even if that means he has to work extra hours. My mother is very sweet and takes care of every member of the family even though she works as an accountant at a firm. She wakes up very early in the morning to make preparations for the day. My brother is a funny and jovial person that enjoys sporting activities and I love him so much.

Sometimes I wish my cousins, uncles and aunts lived with us, I love having them around. There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages of having everyone around. I have highlighted some below.

Some advantages are:

1. It gives a better routine of living that can contribute to a proper growth.

2. Having a joint family helps in following the numerous principles of an equitable economy and helps teach discipline and respect. It also teaches us how to share the burden of other family members.

3. There is the understanding of having to adjust to the needs of other family members.

4. The children in a large family get to grow up in a happy environment because they have children of their age around that they can play with.

5. All the members of a joint family are usually very disciplined and responsible as everyone has to follow the instructions of the family head.

Some of the disadvantages include:

1. There is always the chance of a rift or fight between the family members because of the possible imbalance of feelings of oneness, brotherly love and feeling of generosity.

2. There is a chance of the members of the family that earn very high looking down on members of the family that do not.

The concept of family is important in India for every individual. Family defines an individual background in terms of social relations and growth. Families influence the lives of individuals from childhood to adulthood especially in decisions concerning life milestones like marriage and career paths. Indian families live together for up to four generations under one roof and they manage to maintain lose family relations compared to other families across the globe. Indian families tend to stick to their cultural practices as a family and they maintain religious practices that cut across the family. Elders in Indian families are respected by the members of the family and their opinions are considered during decision making.

What Family Really Means :

Basic knowledge defines a family as a group of people who share genetic and legal bonds. However, the concept of family means a lot more for other people than just the bond and it incorporates the concepts of culture and religion. In India, the concept of family differs from what the rest of the world perceives as family.

Families in India go beyond nuclear and extend to wider circles, whereby the extended family lives together and are closely related. The relationships in the family are strong such that cousins are considered siblings and aunts and uncles are considered parents. Family also means the unconditional love among the members of the family whereby there is support in terms of finances and emotions.

Why the Family is so important:

The family plays a central role in lives of individuals in teaching of moral values. Parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents have been known to teach the children on morality and disciplinary issue s in most cultures. Both spiritual and moral values are instilled through family. Family give a sense of belonging to individuals because they are over by the family and supported at all times.

A family will always support its members with needs including financial and emotional needs. In a family, there has been established levels of satisfaction and happiness from the joy of being together. Families also helping community development through contributions and participating in activities in the community. The family is important in the society in maintaining order, discipline and peace.

I come from a big family. My family has not moved to an urban area and so we still live as a wider circle together with the extended family. In my nuclear family, I am the first born of four children. I have one sister and two brothers who are still at school. I have three aunts and two uncles. My cousins are twelve in number and most of them are at school except for the youngest ones.

My grandparents are very old and they do not get out of the house much and are being taken care by my parents and aunts. Most of the children are always at school and the house gets quiet but during holiday, we all unite together as a full house. My family is of the middle class in terms of wealth. Our religion is Hindu and we all practice the Indian cultures and traditions. What I love about my family is that everyone is a good cook and the food is always amazing. Members of my family are kind and respectful and that is why we rarely have disputes. The family support is strong and we all love each other.

Why I love My Family:

Having a big family is interesting because the house always feels warm. As I had earlier mentioned, my family is made of good cooks, which makes me love them. There is always teamwork within the family and good relationships are maintained. I like the adventurous nature of my family because we always have fun whenever we go for holiday vacations or have a family event.

Moral cultural and spiritual values are highly cared for in the society. My family is oriented in good moral values and believe we make a good role model for the society. Despite the influence of education, the family has been able to maintain the culture and traditions of Indian people. The love that exists in my family is precious and that is the most important value of all times because what family without love?

Our Weekend Outings and House Parties:

We do not have many of these in our family because of the different schedules among the members. We only have weekend outings and house parties during holidays. Birthday parties are and weddings are the parties that we frequently have as a family. I love parties at home because the food is usually exceptionally good. Also, the dancing and happy faces. Weekend outings are usually in form of picnics and they are usually full of games.

Cousins Visit during Summer:

My family is young and only three of my cousins are in college. The rest are in high school or elementary schools. Whenever my cousins come home from school, it is a happy moment for the whole family and we host parties to welcome them home. Whenever my older cousins are at home, I enjoy their company and I love to hear stories about college because that is where I will be in a few years’ time.

In the spirit of holidays, we have a vacation or two in a year. During these vacations, plans begin early and when the time comes, it is enjoyable and relaxing. Vacations for us as children tend to be more enjoyable because we have an environment away from home and with minimal parental supervision and we tend to explore and talk among ourselves. Team building during vacations strengthens the bond in families.

Family is a blessing to individuals because that is where they belong and it is what defines them. A good family is built through moral values and team effort. Having family events and parties or vacations re important is strengthening the relationships within a family. A happy individual is definitely from a happy family.

Family , My Family , Relationships

Get FREE Work-at-Home Job Leads Delivered Weekly!

Join more than 50,000 subscribers receiving regular updates! Plus, get a FREE copy of How to Make Money Blogging!

Message from Sophia!

Like this post? Don’t forget to share it!

Here are a few recommended articles for you to read next:

• Essay on My School
• Essay on Solar Energy
• Essay on Biodiversity
• Essay on Globalisation

No comments yet.

Leave a reply click here to cancel reply..

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Billionaires

• Donald Trump
• Warren Buffett
• Email Address
• Free Stock Photos
• Keyword Research Tools
• URL Shortener Tools
• WordPress Theme

Book Summaries

• How To Win Friends
• Rich Dad Poor Dad
• The Code of the Extraordinary Mind
• The Luck Factor
• The Millionaire Fastlane
• The ONE Thing
• Think and Grow Rich
• 100 Million Dollar Business
• Business Ideas

Digital Marketing

• Mobile Addiction
• Social Media Addiction
• Computer Addiction
• Drug Addiction
• Internet Addiction
• TV Addiction
• Healthy Habits
• Morning Rituals
• Wake up Early
• Cholesterol
• Reducing Cholesterol
• Fat Loss Diet Plan
• Reducing Hair Fall
• Sleep Apnea
• Weight Loss

Internet Marketing

• Email Marketing

Law of Attraction

• Subconscious Mind
• Vision Board
• Visualization

Law of Vibration

• Professional Life

Motivational Speakers

• Bob Proctor
• Robert Kiyosaki
• Vivek Bindra
• Inner Peace

Productivity

• Not To-do List
• Project Management Software
• Negative Energies

Relationship

• Getting Back Your Ex

Self-help 21 and 14 Days Course

Self-improvement.

• Body Language
• Complainers
• Emotional Intelligence
• Personality

Social Media

• Project Management
• Anik Singal
• Baba Ramdev
• Dwayne Johnson
• Jackie Chan
• Leonardo DiCaprio
• Narendra Modi
• Nikola Tesla
• Sachin Tendulkar
• Sandeep Maheshwari
• Shaqir Hussyin

Website Development

Wisdom post, worlds most.

• Expensive Cars

Our Portals: Gulf Canada USA Italy Gulf UK

Privacy Overview

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Back to Black

The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time.

• Sam Taylor-Johnson
• Matt Greenhalgh
• Marisa Abela
• Eddie Marsan
• Jack O'Connell
• 75 User reviews
• 83 Critic reviews
• 49 Metascore

• Nick Shymansky

• Perfume Paul
• Great Auntie Renee

• Uncle Harold
• Auntie Melody

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

The Big List of Summer Movies

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia Marisa Abela had done most of the singing in this film herself. She trained extensively to mimic Amy Winehouse 's vocals.

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 2 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed

• Action/Adventure
• Children's/Family
• Documentary/Reality
• Amazon Prime Video

More From Decider

'Unfrosted' Has Everyone Wondering "What's The Deal With Jerry Seinfeld?"

Chrissy Teigen Stuns John Legend On 'The Drew Barrymore Show' With Reveal...

Brooke Shields Flashed Her ‘Mother of the Bride’ Co-Star Benjamin...

Andy Cohen Reveals Sarah Jessica Parker's Reaction When He Suggested Rosie...

Anne Hathaway's 'Tonight Show' Interview Hits An Awkward Snag After The...

11 Best New Movies on Netflix: May 2024's Freshest Films to Watch

John Green’s ‘Turtles All the Way Down’ Cameo Is a Treat for His...

Spider-Man Swings onto 'X-Men '97' — But This Isn't Just Any Spider-Man

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to copy URL

Is ‘The Iron Claw’ Based on a True Story? Why the Real Von Erich Family Is Even More Tragic Than the Movie

Where to stream:.

• The Iron Claw

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Iron Claw’ on Max, a Gripping Drama About a Family of Doomed Wrestlers, Led by an Extraordinary Zac Efron

A24’s wrestling drama ‘the iron claw’ sets may 2024 streaming premiere date, new shows & movies to watch this weekend: ‘damsel’ on netflix + more, john cena’s “jizz jams” in ‘ricky stanicky’ are forever burned into my brain.

The Iron Claw began streaming on Max this past weekend, and it’s the perfect movie to watch if you want to feel really, really sad.

Written and directed by Sean Durkin (also known for 2011’s Martha Marcy May Marlene and 2020’s The Nest ), The Iron Claw is a heartbreaking sports biopic that tells the unbelievably sad story of the Von Erich family. The Von Erichs were a family of professional wrestlers who grew to prominence in the ’70s and ’80s. They won several NWA World Heavyweight Championships, but are better known for the “Von Erich” curse, a myth that spread after five of the Von Erich sons died tragic deaths.

The Iron Claw posits that it was not a curse that killed the Von Erichs, but rather a history of mental health struggles exacerbated by the relentless patriarch of the family, Fritz Von Erich.

But The Iron Claw t rue story is even more tragic than what you see in the film. Read on to learn about Chris Von Erich, and why Chris Von Erich is not in The Iron Claw.

Who is The Iron Claw based on?

The Iron Claw is based on the true story of Kevin Von Erich (played by Efron), a professional wrestler and, at the age of 66, the last surviving son of wrestler Fritz Von Erich. Five of the elder Von Erich’s sons died tragically young, leading many to believe the family was cursed.

How accurate is The Iron Claw to the true story of the Von Erich brothers?

The true story of the Von Erich brothers is, if you can believe it, even more tragic than the story told in The Iron Claw. In the movie, Kevin has four brothers, including an older brother named Jack Jr. who died as a child. Slowly, all of his brothers die, because they are pushed to their physical and mental limits by their abusive, hard-to-please father, Jack “Fritz” Von Erich (played by Holt McCallany).

There’s David (played by actor Harris Dickinson), who dies of enteritis (an inflamed, or this case, burst, intestine) after an intense fight with the NWA World Heavyweight Champion. There’s Mike (Stanley Simons), the young black sheep who would rather play guitar than wrestle—but who is pressured into the ring after David’s death, and sustains a terrible injury that leaves him unable to make music. That, combined with brain damage, drives Mike to take his own life. Then there’s Kerry (Jeremy Allen Wright) who loses his right foot in a motorcycle accident, and deteriorates mentally. He, too, takes his own life. Kevin is left as the last Von Erich brother standing. A textual epilogue reveals he and his wife Pam (played by Lily James in the movie) have four children and 13 grandchildren, and live on a large ranch in Hawaii.

If you think that’s too tragic to be true, then it may shock to learn that in real life, Kevin Von Erich had a total of five brothers, not four, and all five of them died. The brother you don’t see in the movie, Chris Von Erich, was the youngest of the siblings, and he also died by suicide in 1991, at the age of 21. Though he tried to make it in wrestling like his brothers, he never achieved the same level of success or fame. Like his brothers Mike and Kerry, he struggled with drug addiction, and was reportedly found with cocaine and valium in his system when he died.

In a 2023 interview with The Los Angeles Times , director Sean Durkin explained that while Chris Von Erich was included in previous drafts, the real story was simply too tragic and too repetitive to make for a good Hollywood film. “It was one more tragedy that the film couldn’t really withstand.” Durkin said that Chris was a character in his film for at least “five years,” and that Durkin himself pushed back against notes to cut the fifth brother. But he ultimately relented.

“When you’re trying to get a film made, you have to separate it at some point and say, ‘These are characters on a page, and this is a film, and there’s no way you’re going to fully capture the life of a person in a film,’” Durkin said. “You have to make difficult choices to try and get to something truthful or representative or emotional that reflects the core of the journey you’re choosing to tell within this family.”

For a more extensive breakdown of how The Iron Claw movie veered from the true story, check out the LA Times article linked above.

Does 'Yellowstone' Return Tonight? 'Yellowstone's Season 5, Part 2 Premiere Date Info, Kevin Costner Updates, And More

'The View's Sunny Hostin Covers Her Face In Embarrassment As Whoopi Goldberg Asks If She'd Let Sherri Shepherd Date Her 21-Year-Old Son

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ on VOD, in Which Guy Ritchie Directs A Fictional Spin on a Real-Life WWII Era Secret Spy Mission

Andy Cohen Reveals Sarah Jessica Parker's Reaction When He Suggested Rosie O'Donnell Take Over As Che Diaz In 'And Just Like That'

Comedian Andrew Schulz Says Tom Brady Was Prepared To "Shut Down" His Own Netflix Roast After Jeff Ross' Robert Kraft Joke

Chrissy Teigen Stuns John Legend On 'The Drew Barrymore Show' With Reveal About Her Exes: "Wow"

Screen Rant

Every movie coming to theaters in september 2023.

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

New Horror Movie With 21% RT Score Nearly Triples Budget At The Box Office In Just 10 Days

Sydney sweeney's remake of '60s sci-fi cult classic in talks with edgar wright to direct, what happened to the blue wizards after lord of the rings.

• September 2023 brings a variety of movies to theaters, including horror stories from major franchises like The Conjuring and Saw, along with new stories from different genres.
• The Equalizer 3 follows retired Marine Robert McCall as he uncovers the control of the Sicilian Mafia over his new friends, forcing him to protect them using his past skills.
• My Big Fat Greek Weeding 3 reunites viewers with the Portokalos family as they embark on a trip to Greece for a family reunion, filled with love, twists, and funny moments.

September 2023 will see a variety of movies coming to theaters, including some horror movies to kick off the spookiest season of the year, such as two horror stories from major franchises, the third entry in an action film series, the return of the Portokalos family, a new Hercule Poirot adventure, the latest mission from the Expendables team, and more. August 2023 welcomed some exciting stories, as were Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem , the sci-fi action horror movie Meg 2: The Trench , the supernatural horror movie The Last Voyage of the Demeter , the biographical sports movie Gran Turismo , and DC’s Blue Beetle .

As August was mostly about big releases , none of them are available to stream yet, but the movies hitting theaters in September are exciting enough to fill in that void. September will see a bunch of sequels from some popular franchises, along with new stories from a variety of genres. That said, September will welcome new stories from the horror franchises of The Conjuring and Saw , the return of Robert McCall, Toula and her family, Hercule Poirot, and the Expendables team, along with Gareth Edwards’ latest project, among other stories. Here’s every movie coming to theaters in September 2023 .

The Equalizer 3 - September 1

The Equalizer 3 is a thriller directed by Antoine Fuqua and the third and final installment in The Equalizer trilogy. The Equalizer 3 marks the return of retired U.S. Marine and former DIA officer Robert McCall (Denzel Washington), who moves to Southern Italy to escape from his past. However, he finds out that his new friends are controlled by the Sicilian Mafia, and when things turn truly horrible, McCall unleashes his past self to protect his friends. Also starring in The Equalizer 3 are Dakota Fanning, Eugenio Mastrandrea, David Denman, Sonia Ben Ammar, and Remo Girone.

Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe - September 8

Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe is a coming-of-age rom-com directed by Aitch Alberto and based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Set in El Paso, Texas, in 1987, Aristotle and Dante follows the title Mexican American teenagers (played by Max Pelayo and Reese Gonzales, respectively) as they explore their friendship while dealing with racial and ethnic identity, sexuality, family relationships, and more. Also starring in Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe are Eugenio Derbez, Eva Longoria, Verónica Falcón, Isabella Gomez, Kevin Alejandro, Luna Blaise, and Marlene Forte.

The Nun II - September 8

The Nun II is a supernatural horror movie directed by Michael Chaves, and it’s the ninth installment in The Conjuring franchise. Set four years after the ending of The Nun , The Nun II follows Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) as she comes face to face with the demonic force Valak at a boarding school in France. Also starring in The Nun II are Jonas Bloquet, Storm Reid, Anna Popplewell, Bonnie Aarons, and Katelyn Rose.

My Big Fat Greek Weeding 3 - September 8

My Big Fat Greek Weeding 3 is a rom-com directed by Nia Vardalos. My Big Fat Greek Weeding 3 r eunites viewers with the unforgettable Portokalos family as they all go on a trip to Greece for a family reunion after the death of Gus, Toula’s (Vardalos) father. Of course, the trip is full of twists and turns, but also a lot of love and funny moments from the always unpredictable Portokalos family. Also starring in My Big Fat Greek Weeding 3 are John Corbett, Louis Mandylor, Elena Kampouris, Lainie Kazan, Andrea Martin, Joey Fatone, Gia Carides, and Maria Vacratsis.

The Inventor - September 15

The Inventor is a stop-motion animated movie directed by Jim Capobianco. The Inventor tells the story of Leonardo da Vinci (voiced by Stephen Fry), who leaves Italy to join the French court, where he can experiment freely. There, Leonardo invents flying contraptions and war machines, studies cadavers, and more, while he also tackles the meaning of life itself with the help of French princess Marguerite de Nevarre (Daisy Ridley). Also part of the voice cast of The Inventor are Marion Cotillard, Matt Berry, Max Baumgarten, Ben Stranahan, and Daniel Swan.

A Haunting in Venice - September 15

A Haunting in Venice is a supernatural mystery thriller directed by Kenneth Branagh, based on the 1969 novel Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie, and it’s the third installment in Branagh’s Hercule Poirot film series. Set in post-World War II Venice, A Haunting in Venice follows Poirot (Branagh), who is now retired and living in his own exile. Poirot reluctantly agrees to attend a séance, and when one of the guests is murdered, it’s up to him to find out who the killer is. Also starring in A Haunting in Venice are Kyle Allen, Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Dornan, Camille Cottin, Tina Fey, and Emma Laird.

Expend4bles - September 22

Expend4bles (also known as The Expendables 4 ) is an action movie directed by Scott Waugh. The Expendables team is back and is assigned on a mission to stop Suarto Rahmat (Iko Uwais), the leader of a terrorist organization, from smuggling nuclear warheads that will unleash a conflict between Russia and the U.S. Expend4bles sees the return of Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, and Sylvester Stallone, who are joined by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Jacob Scipio, and Andy García. Like the first two movies in the Expendables series, Expend4bles has an R rating.

The Creator - September 29

The Creator is a sci-fi action thriller directed by Gareth Edwards. Set in a future where humans and the forces of artificial intelligence are at war, The Creator follows Joshua (John David Washington), an ex-special forces agent grieving the disappearance of his wife. Joshua is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the architect of an advanced AI who developed a mysterious weapon that can end war and humanity itself, too. However, Joshua and his team discover that this powerful weapon is an AI in the form of a young child. Also starring in The Creator are Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Allison Janney, and Sturgill Simpson.

Saw X - September 29

Saw X is a horror film directed by Kevin Greutert and serving as a direct sequel to Saw and a prequel to Saw II . As such, Saw X reunites viewers with John Kramer (Tobin Bell), who, desperate to find a cure for his cancer, travels to México for a risky and experimental medical procedure. Unfortunately, the entire operation turns out to be a scam, so Kramer sees a chance to continue his work and make the scammers pay for what they have been doing. Also starring in Saw X are Shawnee Smith (reprising her role as Amanda Young), Synnøve Macody Lund, Steven Brand, and Michael Beach.

Key Release Dates

The equalizer 3, my big fat greek wedding 3, the inventor (2023), a haunting in venice, expend4bles, the creator.

• สมัคร / ล็อกอิน
• ความช่วยเหลือ

Air Force 1 x Tiffany & Co.

Air Force 1 เป็นที่รู้จักครั้งแรกในปี 1982 และสร้างนิยามใหม่ให้รองเท้าบาสเก็ตบอลตั้งแต่คอร์ทพื้นไม้ไปจนถึงพื้นคอนกรีต แถมยังเป็นสนีกเกอร์บาสเก็ตบอลคู่แรกที่ใช้ Nike Air แต่ความล้ำนวัตกรรมก็ยังต้องหลีกทางให้ความเป็นไอคอนในแนวสตรีทของรุ่นนี้

Roger Corman, influential B-movie king who nurtured great directors, dies at 98

• Medium Text

• Received honorary career Academy Award in 2009
• Prolific low-budget filmmaker had a keen eye for talent
• Hailed for his "weird, cool, crazy" movies

'I PROMISE YOU'

Sign up here.

Reporting by Michael Martina and Will Dunham; Editing by Bill Trott and Nick Zieminski

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

World Chevron

Ukraine plans record power imports after Russian attacks on energy system

Ukraine plans record high electricity imports on Wednesday after significant energy infrastructure damage from recent Russian strikes on its energy system, the energy ministry said, warning that there could still be shortages in the evening.