The Perez Family (film)

Infobox Film
name = The Perez Family


image_size = 200px
caption = Promotional movie poster for the film
director = Mira Nair
producer = Julia Chasman
Robin Swicord
writer = Robin Swicord
starring = Marisa Tomei
Alfred Molina
Anjelica Huston
Chazz Palminteri
music = Arturo Sandoval
Alan Silvestri
cinematography = Stuart Dryburgh
editing = Robert Estrin
Greg Finton
distributor = The Samuel Goldwyn Company
released = United States:
May 12, 1995
United Kingdom:
August 23, 1995
runtime = 113 min.
country = U.S.A.
language = English
budget = $11,000,000 (estimate)
amg_id = 1:134703
imdb_id = 0114113

"The Perez Family" is a comedy film released in 1995, about a group of Cuban refugees in America, who pretend to be a family. It starred Marisa Tomei, Alfred Molina, Anjelica Huston, Chazz Palminteri, and other well known actors. It was based on the 1991 novel "The Perez Family" (ISBN 0-06-097401-X) by Christine Bell. The film was directed by Mira Nair.

The premise of the film, was a group of unrelated people, who happened to share the last name "Perez", realized they could more easily stay in America if they pretended to be family. Set in 1980, Juan Raúl Perez (Alfred Molina) is a former aristocrat and newly released political prisoner, seeking to return to his wife, now in America, after 20 years. Dottie Perez (Marisa Tomei) is a former prostitute, who Juan meets. U.S. Immigration officials assume the two are married, because of the common last name. The potential for a real romantic relationship between the couple sets the basis for much of the rest of the film.

Cast

Selective cast listing:
*Marisa Tomei - Dorita Evita Perez
*Alfred Molina - Juan Raúl Perez
*Anjelica Huston - Carmela Perez
*Chazz Palminteri - Lt. John Pirelli
*Trini Alvarado - Teresa Perez
*Celia Cruz - Luz Pat
*Ranjit Chowdhry - Indian immigration official
*Diego Wallraff - Angel Diaz
*Ellen Cleghorne - Officer Rhoades
*Angela Lanza - Flavia
*Jose Felipe Padron - Felipe Perez
*Lázaro Pérez - Armando 'Papi' Perez
*Bill Sage - Steve Steverino
*Vincent Gallo - Orlando
*Billy Hopkins - Father Aiden
*Ruben Rabasa - Father Martinez
*Melissa Anne Acosta - IsabelArchival footage of Jimmy Carter and Fidel Castro also appeared in the film.

References

*imdb title | id=0114113 | title=The Perez Family
* [http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:134703 The Perez Family at the All Movie Guide]