Watch Spare Parts

Spare Parts is a heartwarming drama based on the true story of four Hispanic high school students from Phoenix, Arizona, who enter a national underwater robotics competition against some of the best and well-funded engineering schools in the country. The movie follows the struggles of Oscar Vazquez (Carlos Penavega), Cristian Arcega (David Del Rio), Lorenzo Santillan (Jose Julian), and Luis Aranda (Oscar Gutierrez), who are facing all kinds of obstacles, both personal and financial, but refuse to give up on their dreams of becoming engineers.

With the guidance of their dedicated and resourceful teacher, Fredi Cameron (George Lopez), the students work tirelessly to build a robot that can go up against the team from MIT, a team that has won the competition three years in a row.

But the road to success is not an easy one for the students, who come from families struggling to make ends meet, have limited resources, and face discrimination and negative stereotypes because of their ethnicity.

Oscar, for instance, is a Dreamer, an undocumented immigrant who arrived in the U.S. with his family when he was a child. He dreams of serving in the U.S. military but is met with rejection at every turn. He is also the main breadwinner for his family and must balance his responsibilities with his passion for robotics. Cristian, on the other hand, is dealing with his father's gambling addiction, which threatens to derail his plans for the future.

Despite these challenges, the four students and their teacher persevere and find creative ways to overcome them. They improvise, scavenge parts from junkyards, and even threaten their way into getting the resources they need to build their robot.

As the competition draws near, the tension mounts, and the students are faced with unexpected setbacks that threaten to derail their dreams. But they refuse to give up and work relentlessly to make their robot competition-ready.

The final showdown between their robot and MIT's is both thrilling and emotional, as the students showcase their ingenuity, perseverance, and teamwork in front of a packed audience, including Jamie Lee Curtis's character, Gwen Kolinsky, a journalist who has been following their journey.

Spare Parts delivers a powerful message of resilience, determination, and the importance of education, particularly in marginalized communities. It also highlights the crucial role of dedicated teachers who go above and beyond to support their students' aspirations, even when faced with adversities.

The performances are outstanding, particularly those of Carlos Penavega and George Lopez, who bring depth and authenticity to their roles. The movie's cinematography captures the gritty and colorful landscape of Phoenix, and the soundtrack blends upbeat Latin rhythms with soulful ballads that complement the mood of the story.

Overall, Spare Parts is a must-see movie that will inspire and move audiences of all ages and backgrounds. It shows that no dream is too big and no obstacle too daunting when one has the right mix of passion, grit, and support.

Spare Parts is a 2015 drama. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2 and a MetaScore of 50.