La Bamba

Written by: Luis Valdez

Starring:  Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Peña, Joe Pantoliano

The true story of 17 year old Ritchie Valens, his complicated family and his meteoric rise to fame in the 50s.

I hadn't seen this movie for so many years when I sat down to watch this week. It is just as remarkable as I remember. The performances are uniformly good, but Esai Morales is amazing as Bob and of course Lou Diamond Phillips (as Ritchie) in his debut film is astonishing. 

Starting in California when Ritchie is 16, he and his family live in poverty when his brother Bob, recently released from jail, comes to take them all away. Ritchie's hinted-at girlfriend Rosie (Elizabeth Peña), now with Bob, comes too but though there is a little more money, things are really no better. Bob's troubled past causes him to lash out at those he loves the most (trigger warning: there is a sexual assault scene with Bob and Rosie). Ritchie's escape is his music. As he fights inherent racism (in the movie, this takes the form of his girlfriend Donna's father), his terror of planes courtesy of a childhood friend's death, and the demons surrounding his brother, his dream begins to come true. Sadly, his dreams are short-lived and are now immortalised as 'The Day the Music Died."

Los Lobos do a fantastic job with recreating Ritchie's music. 

Where to Watch: 

Prime Video

Apple TV

Watch the Trailer (external link)