Spare Parts closely mimics Disney's McFarland. A group of high school kids get tutored by an outsider who comes into their community. They exceed expectations, compete against a rich, white community, and overachieve with no budget or support. McFarland used running, while Spare Parts used science. They even had the same scene where the kids go to California, never saw an ocean, and go jumping around in it. Plus the star gets a non-immigrant girlfriend.
Despite this obvious borrowing of plot, the story succeeds because of the strong acting from George Lopez as the teacher, Marisa Tomei as a counselor, and Jamie Lee Curtis as the hilarious principal.
The bottom line is again that these kids have no shot at success. They have no papers, illegals. But somehow they get inspired to try to make something from basically nothing. They are smart, and tough, but they need a chance.
The movie states that it is based on a true story, and the end credits show real pictures of the real people, like is done in so many based-on-true-story movies.
I liked Spare Parts, but I think McFarland was better, perhaps because of Kevin Costner's role having more body to it, vs George Lopez, whose character never got fully developed enough to make you feel more for him. At any rate, for a feel good movie, Spare Parts will give you good feelings, so I recommend it. Enjoy.
Despite this obvious borrowing of plot, the story succeeds because of the strong acting from George Lopez as the teacher, Marisa Tomei as a counselor, and Jamie Lee Curtis as the hilarious principal.
The bottom line is again that these kids have no shot at success. They have no papers, illegals. But somehow they get inspired to try to make something from basically nothing. They are smart, and tough, but they need a chance.
The movie states that it is based on a true story, and the end credits show real pictures of the real people, like is done in so many based-on-true-story movies.
I liked Spare Parts, but I think McFarland was better, perhaps because of Kevin Costner's role having more body to it, vs George Lopez, whose character never got fully developed enough to make you feel more for him. At any rate, for a feel good movie, Spare Parts will give you good feelings, so I recommend it. Enjoy.