One Hot Summer (2009)

As Good As It Gets

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

This Latina based film explores the lives of successful & beautiful women in Miami. These women consistently beat the odds and live their lives to the fullest. As one character finally gets Partner at her law firm, her husband tries to push her into motherhood. Oddly enough, her friends are either mom's or want to be moms, so the story runs true, the gammet of a woman's desire to succeed either as a mother or as a professional. The relationships do remind me of Sex & The City, but in a much more adult, as in "real world" way. I completely enjoyed the subtle interjection of Latino culture and female power throughout. Great cast and locations. It was shot beautifully and directed masterfully with the Veteran eye of Betty Kaplan. Chick flick, yes. For everyone....yes. This film will be enjoyed by any and all, Latino or not. NOT TO BE MISSED!! Great fun!

I watched this movie as it was labeled a "comedy". Somehow I think there was nothing funny about it. It wasn't deep enough to actually be a drama, so somewhere in between drama and comedy; "dramedy"? hahaThe story of the movie was nice though, and you could easily immerse yourself into the roles and plot. However, the movie was very predictable, and as a guy I must say, mostly intended for a female audience. The movie did take up a couple of interesting points and aspects of life situations.The cast was good, although I am fairly unfamiliar with them all, except for Casper Van Dien - whom seemed so out of place wearing a suit and having this role.This movie was sort of a Latina approach to the "Sex and the City" genre. Not a bad movie at all, just not really within my normal range of taste.I think this movie is perhaps best watched together with your special one for a night of romance and quality time together, or for girls to watch on their own. But of course, to each his (or her) own.

I loved this movie! The performances by Vanessa Marcil, Tessie Santiago and Jaqueline Pinol absolutely made this movie. I saw it on Lifetime Movie Network by accident and then watched it again for a second time. Lifetime is known for movies that show women in a victim role or running away from somebody or something. This movie was contrary to the normal Lifetime formula. For one, this movie was about 3 Latin women living their lives and the challenges they were facing day to day. But mostly it was about their friendship and support of one another in tough times. This movie was lighthearted and funny, but it also touched on immigration, relationships, feeling like something is missing from your life, betrayal, forgiveness, parenthood and sisterhood in friendship. The characters were real, imperfect and I identified with each one of them. Great movie!!

If this is the best that Vanessa Marcil can come up with, she'd be better off returning to the role of Brenda on General Hospital."One Hot Summer" is one non-hot mess. First of all, it was advertised as starring Casper van Diem. He was at best a supporting role. The story was about three Latina friends, focusing on Margarita (Marcil) and her husband. The three friends would have been a nice story, but it was too disjointed. It was always from Margarita's point of view instead of actually showing the women's lives.As far as the Margarita storyline, it defied logic. On the day that she is made partner at her law firm, she also celebrates her fifth anniversary with her husband. He chooses that night to start nagging her about having a baby. And I mean NAG - including calling her on her cell phone when she's on the highway. This is a sensitive man her friends envy her for marrying? To make things more heinous, he and his mother-in-law plot to exchange Margarita's birth control pills for placebo. I don't know about you, but if I ever found out two people I was close to and trusted did that to me, they'd be gone from my life immediately.Vanessa Marcil is a gorgeous woman, a cross between Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Lopez, and she was great on General Hospital. Here she doesn't show any range as an actress. I don't altogether blame her, because it's obvious the direction was bad.What could have been a warm story was wrecked by illogical situations, bad dialogue, bad direction, and some bad acting.