Spare Parts

Guess what movie you get when you take the athletes from the movie, "McFarland USA" and replace them with Nerds?  Give up?  You get the movie, "Spare Parts"!  Or you could say in an insanely un-realistic world where your school is filled with Hispanic Good Will Hunting's, anything is possible!  The best part is, this story is all true.  Living in Phoenix, I was immediately drawn to this movie especially remembering reading about this school and what it has done with its smat kids.  The setting is an inner city high school in Phoenix, filled with mainly un-documented illegals from Mexico.  It turns out that some of them are crazy smart and they enter a robotics competition with the help of a substitute teacher.  I loved this movie!  Yes, there were some holes like being full of cliches and the absence of a single line from Lopez, "What am I supposed to do when your real teacher gets back?"  The cast was really good starting with Jamie Lee Curtis as the principal.  It's still tough to see her as an old high school principal since I grew up watcher her great ta-tas!  Lopez was good with his timing and there was even a part for La-Bamba's brother Bob, which he played great!  This movie had some pretty bad reviews and I cant really understand them.  Inspirational, and a great overall story so my thoughts are how can you not like this true story.  One of the best parts is during the competition, start the ever popular "slow motion" scene of the MIT team walking into the arena; Nerd Alert!!!  This is a must watch!

FYI:  Filmed in Albuquerque but takes place in Phoenix.  Why?  Hugh film tax credits in New Mexico!

****1/2