Rating: PG13
Genre:
Drama
Theatrical Release: 07/22/1987(USA)
Release Date: 04/06/1999
SubTitles: English/Espanol/Por/KO/TH
Dubbed: English/Espanol
Sound: DD5.1/DDS2.0
Run Time: 108 Minutes
Flags: Violence, Brief Nudity, Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Adult Language
Distributor/Studio: Columbia TriStar
Lou Diamond Phillips plays legendary 1950s rocker
Ritchie Valens (born
Ricardo Valenzuela), in this musical biography. Before scoring radio and concert success with hits like
"La Bamba",
"C'mon Let's Go", and
"Donna",
Valens was a 15-year-old migrant worker who worked with his mother Connie (
Rosana De Soto).
Valens' half-brother
Bob Morales (
Esai Morales) is a vitriolic ex-con who roars into the migrant camp on his Harley after his release from jail.
Valens' musical talents are encouraged by his family -- though later various members of his family react to his fame with varying degrees of pride and envy -- and he soon earns an audition with legendary record producer and former
Artie Shaw clarinet player
Bob Keane (
Joe Pantoliano).
Valens soon appears in an
Alan Freed rock n' roll teen exploitation film, lip-synching his blistering recorded version of
"Ooh, My Head". When a romance with Donna Ludwig (
Danielle von Zerneck) is forbidden by her conservative father,
Valens pens the famous ballad that bears her name. Tours follow his chart success until the fatal plane crash that claimed the lives of
Valens,
The Big Bopper (aka
J.P. Richardson), and
Buddy Holly on February 3rd, 1959. The supporting cast is excellent with power-pop icon
Marshall Crenshaw playing
Buddy Holly singing
"Crying, Waiting, Hoping".
Brian Setzer accurately portrays rocker
Eddie Cochran, and
Howard Hunstberry plays
Jackie Wilson and sings
"Lonely Teardrops". Additional music is provided by
Los Lobos, a band who traces their musical roots directly to
Valens and other Mexican influences. Also making cameo appearances are the real-life Mrs.
Connie Valenzuela and
Bob Morales. Although not 100 historically accurate,
La Bamba is much more accurate than 1978s
The Buddy Holly Story. The feature turned a new generation on to the influential Tex-Mex rock that was an inspiration to such later rockers as
The Bobby Fuller Four as well as
Los Lobos.
~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
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