with truth." Critic Roger Ebert lauded the film and wrote, "Sayles handles this material with gentle delicacy, as if aware that the issues are too fraught to be approached with simple messages. He shows both sides; the maid Asuncion gave up her baby and now imagines her happy life in El Norte, but we feel how much she misses her. The squeegee kids on the corner have been abandoned by their parents and might happily go home with one of these rich Americanas. Sayles sees like a documentarian, showing us the women, listening to their stories, inviting us to share their hopes and fears and speculate about their motives. There are no answers here, just the experiences of waiting for a few weeks in the Casa de los Babys." Critics Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat also liked the film's message and wrote, "The overall tone of Casa de los Babys promotes the spiritual practice of openness, which is the ability to see clearly, without preference or prejudice, and with empathy. Sayles continues his special mission of exploring the nuances that go into the creation of cross-cultural tensions and misunderstandings." References External links 2003 films 2003 comedy-drama films American comedy-drama films 2000s English-language films Films directed by John Sayles 2003 independent films Films set in South America Films shot in Mexico IFC Films films Films with screenplays by John Sayles 2000s Spanish-language films Films about adoption Films scored by Mason Daring 2003 multilingual films American multilingual films Mexican multilingual films 2000s American films