Parents' Guide to

Quinceañera

Movie R 2006 90 minutes
Quinceañera Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

By Cynthia Fuchs , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 16+

Smart coming-of-age drama for older teens.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 16+?

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age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

vitorres21
vitorres21 Adult
October 22, 2020
age 14+

15añera

See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

The winner of the Audience and Grand Jury prizes at Sundance, QUINCEANERA follows a couple of coming-of-age tales. Living in Echo Park, Los Angeles, Cousins Magdalena (Emily Rios) and Carlos (Jesse Garcia) both find themselves kicked out of their homes for very different reasons. Carlos' conservative father cannot accept the fact that his son is gay. Magdalena's been sent away by her father, Pastor Ernesto (Jesus Castanos-Chima), after he learns that she's pregnant, just weeks shy of her quinceañera -- 15th birthday. Though Magdalena tells her father she has never had intercourse with her straight-A student boyfriend, the adults don't believe her. Taken in by their great-great uncle Tomas (Chalo Gonzalez), Magdalena and Carlos learn to support one another even when they feel rejected by their own fathers.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (1 ):

This worthwhile movie is about property as well as propriety. For one thing, the neighborhood is in the process of "gentrification": as poor Hispanic residents are pushed out by younger, wealthier white buyers, generational expectations change. Carlos surfs the Net; Magdalena and friends want to purchase U.S. mass-marketed merchandise (clothing and food). Both angry fathers represent a losing effort to maintain "the old ways." Their inflexibility is contrasted with Tomas' openness to change, his generosity, and unconditional love.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the relationships between parents and children. How do Magdalena and Carlos' fathers react to their children's unexpected situations, and how could they have responded differently? They can also talk about gentrification; is it a positive or negative trend?

Movie Details

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