Film Review: La Bamba (1987)

History of rock music is full of talented people who died before their time. In many cases, the early demise is what made those persons immortal in popular consciousness. On some rare occasions, such immortality was achieved or maintained with the help of Hollywood biopics. None of such films was as successful in that mission as La Bamba, 1987 biopic written and directed by Luis Valdez.

The plot begins in Summer 1957 when 16-year old Ricardo “Richie” Steven Valenzuela (played by Lou Diamond Phillips) lives in North California tent and works as fruit picker together with his mother Connie (played by Rosanna DeSoto) and the rest of his impoverished Mexican American family. His troublesome half-brother Roberto “Bob” Morales (played by Esai Morales) returns from prison and brings just enough money from his suspicious activities for family to move to somewhat more decent home in eastern section of Los Angeles. Richie begins attending local high school where he meets and falls in love with Donna Ludwig (played by Danielle von Zerneck), white girl who would date him despite ethnic and racial prejudice of her rich parents. Richie also tries to make career as rock’n’roll musician, first as member of local band Silhouettes, then as solo artist. Despite one of his concerts ending miserably due to fight started by his drunk brother, he is spotted by Bob Keane (played by Joe Pantoliano), owner of Del-Fi, small record label, and who brings him to basement studio where he would change name to Ritchie Valens and record “Come On, Let’s Go”, “Donna” and, ultimately, his biggest hit “La Bamba”. Despite increasingly confrontational relationship with Bob, who reacts to brother’s success with envy and resentment, Ritchie becomes national star and things seems to go well for him until the fateful snowy night on February 3rd 1959 when he would board plane with fellow rock’n’roll stars Buddy Holly (played by Marshall Crenshaw) and Big Bopper (played by Stephen Lee).

Life of Ritchie Valens was very short and, as such, seemingly lacking content for truly interesting biopic. Mexican American film maker Luis Valdez thought otherwise, seeing in Valens something of a hero or, at least a role model, who managed to smash racial and ethnic barriers by becoming first Latino rock star in American history and making a national hit sung in Spanish. He painstakingly researched Valens’ life with the help of his family and the result is film that makes almost perfect balance between the usual “rags to riches” story of American Dream through musical stardom and faithful depiction of Mexican American life in 1950s California. Valdez also used the help of Mexican American band Los Lobos which recorded the soundtrack and who briefly appear in the film as Mexican musicians whose rendition of traditional song “La Bamba” inspire Valens for his version.

Valens is, unsurprisingly, depicted in positive light, as almost angelic figure who does or tried doing everything right and almost indistinguishable from the public image of clean-cut teen idol (except for the brief scene of “wild night” in Tijuana which looks like it might have been screenwriters’ invention). Despite such limitations, Lou Diamond Phillips plays that character very well and this role helped propelling Phillips to his own stardom. However, at times he is overshadowed by Esai Morales who leaves even more lasting impression as jealous brother who often tries to fight his frustrations and shortcomings with alcohol and violence. This performance also propelled Morales to stardom. Rosanna DeSoto does also very good job as Valens’ mother, while Elizabeth Peña is not that convincing as Rosie, Richie’s girlfriend who ends up pregnant with Bob. Danielle von Zerneck, who would later become television producer, leaves much better impression in potentially syrupy and thankless role of Richie’s muse. Although small scene with suggests toying with Indian mysticism seems too much of Hollywood fantasy inserted into true story, La Bamba is well-made and mostly entertaining film. It was quite popular at the box office and Los Lobos rendition of title song became massive hit, thus making this film one of the rare rock’n’roll biopics that served their ultimate purpose.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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