Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Spanish remake about intersexuality; sex, language, drugs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
My Dearest Señorita
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
It's 1999, and 26-year-old Pamplona-based Sunday School teacher Adela (Elisabeth Martinez) still lives with her parents in MY DEAREST SENORITA. She knows something is not quite right with her body, but her parents get agitated when she asks about it. She also feels confused about her sexuality, attracted to both childhood friend Santiago (Eneko Sagardoy) and spunky physical therapist Isabel (Anna Castillo). Priest Jose Maria (Paco Leon) offers her some guidance, but Adela is going to have to figure things out on her own. And that might mean leaving everything and everyone behind.
Is It Any Good?
This melodramatic message film gets a little too didactic, but its heart is in the right place and the cast lifts it up. My Dearest Señorita packs a lot into nearly two hours of screen time, and that's its biggest flaw. Sometimes less is more, and this one seems to get bogged down by trying to align too closely to the original story (the film is a remake of a classic Spanish movie). The action has been moved from the original 1971 to 1999, but the viewer is left wondering—why not set it in 2026? The issues addressed are just as relevant today, as the lead actress—intersex herself—has made clear in interviews.
Instead, while the classic filming style looks and feels like a Spanish movie from the 1990s (with era Almodóvar stars to boot), the culture has evolved. Scenes "teaching" Adela about living freely and openly will feel unnecessarily old-fashioned to viewers today. It seems the writers didn't trust their own story without the traditional societal tensions. There's still plenty to appreciate here, most importantly the cast, led by newcomer Martinez, the always reliable Castillo, and charismatic veteran Leon.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what Adela goes through in My Dearest Señorita. Did you empathize with the decisions she makes? How so?
What is intersexuality? Where can you find more information?
The film contains quite a lot of night shoots and interior locations. Did it feel dark to you? Do you think that was intentional?
What did you learn about Spanish society in the 1990s from the setting of this film? How would the story have changed if it had been set today? What about in a different location?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : May 1, 2026
- Cast : Elisabeth Martinez , Anna Castillo , Paco Leon
- Director : Fernando Gonzalez Molina
- Inclusion Information : Not Applicable Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Bisexual Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Faith ( Christianity ) , Family Stories ( Dads , Grandparents , Moms ) , Friendship , History
- Run time : 111 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : May 4, 2026
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