La Bamba

Starring: Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Pena, Danielle von Zerneck, Joe Pantoliano, Rick Dees
Directed by: Luis Valdez
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Music
1987

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Ritchie Valens (Lou Diamond Phillips) comes from nothing to become a rock and roll sensation.

Review:

Tim: There's something so likeable about La Bamba. Some of that is the subject matter- a pretty sweet teenager who quickly rises from extreme poverty to rock and roll success. Some of it is due to the direction of Luis Valdez, who treats his subject matter with care and compassion. Some of it is the infectious energy of Lou Diamond Phillips. You add it all up, and this is a very strong biopic. I thoroughly enjoyed this film.

I think you have to start by focusing on the performance of Phillips. Before playing Ritchie Valens, he had two episodes of television, a TV movie, and small roles in two feature films under his belt. You would never know he was so inexperienced. His energy is contagious and he brings this sense of youthful wisdom to the role. He inhabits this part and makes you care about Valens. I was stunned by what a strong performance Phillips gave, especially for so young an actor. It's not a stretch to say this movie's success is because of Phillips. He has some help from the cast. Joe Pantoliano adds a nice supporting performance, and Rosanna DeSoto and Elizabeth Pena are good. You have to mention Esai Morales, though. Morales gives a very good performance as Valens' troubled brother. Morales isn't as good as Phillips- his performance is too uneven and has too many forced moments. However, Morales has a number of brilliant moments as well. He shows a wide range of emotions here. He was fun to watch and acted well as an opposite to Phillips. So much of this film involves the complicated relationship between Ritchie and Bob and Phillips and Morales shine together.

The movie does a great job of using Valens' music effectively. The backstory to the classic song "Oh Donna" was fascinating and when the song is played, it makes a big emotional impact. You also have to marvel at the sequence when Phillips finally plays the titular "La Bamba". That song is just fantastic- the melding of cultures and languages with that infectious music- it's simply a terrific scene in the film. The story is well told- you really get to understand and care about these characters. Valens might be a rock and roll star, but he's just a 17 year-old kid. You understand his family drama, his relationship woes, his hopes and dreams of the future. You learn to care about the kid, which makes the conclusion of the film all that much harder to swallow. Most people know how Valens' story ends, but that doesn't blunt the impact of watching it on screen. Like his family, friends, and fans, it feels too sudden and so unfair. I felt even a twinge of denial watching this film- it couldn't really have happened like that, right? There had to be a mistake. The movie does a fantastic job of delivering the fateful scenes not as the climax of a story, but abruptly cutting in at the most inopportune moment. It's sad, but powerful.

I'm a big fan of La Bamba. It's a memorable, entertaining look at the rise and tragic end of a talented young man who was able to change the music industry forever, in less than a year. This is a movie that has held up over the decades and is worth checking out.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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