Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Family-centric Latino dramedy will make your mouth water.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Tortilla Soup
What's the Story?
TORTILLA SOUP centers on a Mexican American family in LA. Martin Naranjo (Hector Elizondo) is a widower, the former chef-owner of a gourmet restaurant and father to three adult daughters. Leticia (Elizabeth Peña) is a prim and proper teacher with the hots for a new coach at school, Carmen (Jacqueline Obradors) is a high-powered career woman on the verge of moving out, and Maribel (Tamara Mello) has decided to put off college while she "finds herself." Meanwhile, a close family friend, Yolanda (Constance Marie), brings her mom, Hortensia (Raquel Welch), for a visit, in which Hortensia instantly develops eyes for Martin. Each week, while the family vents its problems, Martin fills the Sunday dinner table with sumptuous delights.
Is It Any Good?
Inspired by the superior Eat Drink Man Woman, the loving shots of food prep and bountiful dinner table presentations are this middling film's best feature. Watching Martin pound chiles with a mortar and pestle, peel avocados, and fry up squash blossoms for Tortilla Soup could have made for a magnificent movie on its own. The Naranjos' family dynamics are compelling, but their various dramas are weighed down with melodramatic twists and predictable, unconvincing dialogue. The final half hour, especially, seems rushed and packed full of random hijinks that don't add up to a satisfying end.
Still, this is decent enough for foodies and lovers of gentle family comedies, and there aren't enough movies out there that center on Mexican American and Latino culture with so much affection and specificity. For families looking for something lighthearted, and where a focus on romance and sex isn't an issue, this is a good one to watch together.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Tortilla Soup integrates food into its themes. Can you think of other movies that feature food as a major element? What makes these movies fun? What does the food—and its preparation—symbolize in this movie?
Have you seen Eat Drink Man Woman, the film that this one's based on? How are they similar? What sets them apart? Do you prefer one over the other? Why, or why not?
Which characters, if any, do you consider role models? Why?
What parts of this film celebrate Latino, Mexican, and American identities? Which parts felt authentic, and did anything strike you as stereotypical? Why is it important to see different Latino representations on screen?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 9, 2001
- On DVD or streaming : January 20, 2004
- Cast : Hector Elizondo , Elizabeth Pena , Jacqueline Obradors , Tamara Mello , Raquel Welch
- Director : María Ripoll
- Studios : Samuel Goldwyn Films , 20th Century Fox
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Cooking , Family Stories ( Dads , Siblings , Single Parents )
- Run time : 103 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : Sexual content
- Last updated : August 13, 2026
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