Sueño (imdb.com, amazon.com) is a sign of what is to come, I think, as it is a movie that is primarily for a Latin, Spanish-speaking audience that is also almost entirely in English, for cross-compatibility with white people like Jeremiah who slept through Spanish in college. Or maybe it’s just primarily for bi-lingual Latin Americans; regardless, it is a cultural hybrid even more so than a linguistic one. The film is as exuberant and dramatic as a Mexican soap-opera without the same level of overacting we all know and love, in keeping with the somewhat more subdued style of the generic American romantic comedy. However, that being said, it is (thank God) as cheesy as both.This film is the story of a 20-something Mexican (John Leguizamo) who dreams of being a star. When his mother dies, he comes to the conclusion that he should pursue his dreams (instead of merely dream them), so he moves across the border to LA. Once in America, things are occasionally tough, and he occasionally loses himself to despair, but he is fortunate enough to find friends and (eventually) bandmates that refuse to let him lose touch with the dream that has driven him all his life.

Yes, it is kinda cheesy – downright silly, at times – but only in a charming, inoffensive manner. While Because of Winn Dixie made you (me, anyway) want to vomit, this film leaves you chuckling at it the way you would a cute and precocious child when it does something silly.

The overly-dramatic aspects of Mexican dramas are primarily present in Sueño‘s dialog, which is often cliched to the point of outright laughability. The plot is hackneyed as well, but that’s not as noteworthy: every movie about someone who dreams of being a star, and who then follows his dreams to stardom, has that problem. It’s always just the first half of any “Behind the Music” special, in which the band gets together and catches a break. And just like every “Behind the Music” special tells the same story, this movie is one with many other films that have come before.

Of course, thanks to the cynicism and quest for ‘edginess’ that’s been ruling American film-makers for the past decade or so, most movies about music these days have focused on the dark side of the industry. This help makes Sueño–a return to 80s-style, uplifting, happy, band-on-the-rise sort of story–actually come across as refreshingly naieve rather than obnoxiously corny. The dialog is delivered about as convincingly as lines such as, “I feel like I could suck the moon!” can be delivered, and the whole thing is endearing if you give it half a chance.

If Sueño were nothing but a rehash of various types of white-guy movies of which we’ve all seen too many, there would be no point to watching the film. Thankfully, that is not exactly the case. Sueño is a movie that you’ve only mostly seen before. It has its little eccentricities, and they help make it unique. For example, there are two dream-sequence dance numbers in the film that run decidedly long for what they are. However, they are also a delight to behold. The first, which pairs Leguizamo with his primary love-interest in the film, gets old quick, but the second, with Lequizamo and the older, meatier female singer in his band, is hilarious and well-choreographed, and also makes a point.

Another thing that really seperates this movie is the music. Rather than focusing on a genre of music, this movie decided to hone in on a demographic (something along the lines of, “music 20-something Latinos–and everyone in their family–wouldn’t mind listening to”). So you don’t get, say, a climactic Battle of the Bands featuring four pop groups, with Leguizamo’s Band’s written to be the best. Instead, you get a Battle sampling of all kinds of music, done Latino-style. There is a visually stunning, female punk trio that totally rule, and a great hip-hop group that has a vocalist who sounds almost death-metal growelly, among others. With one or two exceptions, each of the acts featured in the Battle segments are unique and really damn cool.

In fact, I was really hoping they would show full-length versions of the performances excerpted in the film in the extras, or at least have the songs for you to listen to. Unfortunately, I guess our browner brothers don’t get to put extras on their dvd’s–there is nothing in the way of bonus material. No out-takes, no songs, no interviews, no making of… the lack of which is a damn shame.

So if you’re in the mood for a cheesy 80′s-style flick, with some Latino flavor and a decent soundtrack, then this would not be a bad rental. It’s cute, it’s catchy, and it’s even wholesome–Christian fundamentalists can let their children see it without worrying for a second about the devil. On the other hand, if you demand substance and depth from a film, this is not for you. You will not cry, you will probably not be moved (unless you count tapping your feet), and your cynical heart will not dig the fact that you didn’t have to think once–watch 2046 or The Constant Gardener instead.