We love the underdog don't we ? We love it when a pub team of footballers beats a team full of multi-millionaire household names , we like to see the top dogs humiliated and if the underdogs are nice guys so much the better because it gives us a nice happy , warm , feeling . This extends to fictional cinema . I can't help thinking a lot of films are hideously overrated because of their feel good factor . THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION is a great example which astonishes me that is the top rated movie of this website . Likewise THE FULL MONTY which broke British box office records a few years . A feel good story seems to equate with a good story but this isn't necessarily the case in my humble worthless cynical opinion . SPARE PARTS is probably another example of what I'm talking about

In its favour SPARE PARTS is based on a true story about a bunch of high school students with zero experience and little knowledge of engineering building a robot to take part in an annual underwater robotics competition That said anything this "Based on a true story" the operative word is "based" and not "true" . While watching the film I did have a nagging suspicion that things had been embellished , characterization changed and history rewritten in order to create a happier story . As it turns out someone on the message board of this page has posted a link to Wired magazine telling the true story of La Vida Robot and the story behind the four high school students from Phoenix Arizona . Reading the article it becomes very clear that some liberties have been taken with the story and paradoxically some these liberties haven't in anyway improved the story . Indeed the film ends with a brief resume of what happened to the students in real life and Oscar's story seems as if there's another bio-pic on him just waiting to be told . If we get a that sequel hopefully it'll be better than this rather bland film

After watching McFarland USA which features Mexican immigrants who excelled in cross country racing,Spare Parts is another film that features them.This time,we get to see them excel in the robotics competition.

This film based on "La Vida Robot" stars George Lopez,Jamie Lee Curtis,Carlos PenaVega and Marisa Tomei.The story focuses on the journey of a group that consist of four Mexican high school students from Carl Hayden High School as they prepare and compete in the 2004 national robotics competition going up against college students from excellent schools like M.I.T and Stanford University. The students have only used $800 compared to their opponents which have used thousands for the competition.

While this maybe another typical inspirational film that could also be classified as an underdog story,it managed to provide joy and entertainment as we get to see a group of self-determined and intelligent students who managed to excel despite the challenges and obstacles that are against them.It also provided a great lesson that anyone can achieve anything in life as long as one is willing to his best and everything that he's got.Also,we also get to the contribution that Mexican immigrants have brought into this country regardless of one's opinion of them.

Based on a true story, a group of high school students on a limited budget create an underwater robotic machine for competition. The kids are undocumented immigrants and take a chance competing.

If you have seen "Stand and Deliver," "McFarland," or "Up in Smoke" you must realize it is just a matter of time before Spanish speaking people will take over the world. The film creates internal conflict to keep us watching and spends minimum time on the mechanics. At one point a kid says to Jamie Lee Curtis, "I saw something like this in a horror movie once." Perhaps the funniest line in the film, for me anyway.

It is a decent family film. There some fighting and parental yelling. The theme of the film supports "The Dream Act."