Titreenp SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

Supelice Dreadfully Boring

Stephanie There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

RobSac This movie needs a month long run on HBO or Showtime, to remind people of how good it is, and hopefully create a buzz that would lead to a bluray release. Anyone with a remote appreciation of a terrific screenplay, solid acting, and neo-realistic direction would have to love this movie. Edward James Olmos directs, and stars as main character Santana Montoya. Santana's parents are victims of a brutal and disturbing attack during Los Angeles's "Zoot Suit Riots" in the 1940s which sets the tone for Santana's power driven and violent life. A childhood of gang activity in East Los Angeles eventually lands Santana in Folsom State Prison, where in the 1960s he starts La Eme, otherwise known as the Mexican Mafia. The gang controls all illicit commerce inside of the prison walls, from drugs to prostitution. While paroled in the early 1970s, Santana meets Julie (Evalina Fernandez). Julie, who's aware of Santana's high profile in the criminal world, and is resentful of it for the most part, falls for him when she learns that while in prison he'd studied and read books about the Chicano political movement. Santana's childhood friend and fellow gangster, JD (William Forsythe), also a member of La Eme despite being white, is skeptical of Santana's relationship with Julie, and believes Julie's pacifist politics are rubbing off on Santana, which would make La Eme look weak in the gang world. When Julie's cousin, "Little Puppet" (Daniel Villareal) commits a major infraction within La Eme's rules, Santana is given an ultimatum by JD to either endorse a gang hit on Little Puppet, or risk that his leadership of the gang would come into question, likely resulting in his own death. A series of incidents, including a drug overdose and a bizarre end to a date between Santana and Julia, put the two at odds, which leaves Santana at a crossroads of maintaining his gang status (and his life), or trying to salvage what little remains of his relationship with the only woman he'd ever loved. What results is both riveting and sad, and, as intended by Edward James Olmos, leaves a message about Chicano gang life in Los Angeles. Enough controversy surrounded the movie to make another movie about in and of itself. In fact, the DVD has a documentary included in the special features called "Lives in Hazard", which goes into further detail, while also giving terrific insight to the streets of East Los Angeles in the early 1990s, including interviews with real gang members who were used as consultants and actors.This one has fallen through the cracks, and it shouldn't have. It has a story, dialogue, and even great cinematography (which effectively captures downtown and East Los Angeles during three different eras in history) that help the film hold up twenty plus years after its release.

moeistheirleader Few films have ever highlighted the struggles of gang life and perpetual cycle of bloodshed better than American Me. Ultimately the film focuses on a split in loyalty between the nuclear family and the criminal family and the tension between those two worlds. There is also a good deal of attention played to the inability to escape gang life, the very limited options of the gang members, and their narrow worldview.While there are may things to like about this film there are a few obnoxious flaws. While the plot and most of the performances are top notch, some of the dialog is redundant and much of the cinematography is unimaginative aside from a few memorable moments. The narration takes the form of simple rhymes which take away from the seriousness of the subject matter. Finally, there some odd editing decisions like cutting between the lovemaking of the main character and his girlfriend and a man being gang raped in prison, but otherwise the direction was stellar.My only real complaints about the film are the over use of the term "ese" which seems to be every other word and the score which is unfortunately stuck in the 1980's with cheesy softcore porn blues guitar. Otherwise there is very little to complain about.There are few if any gangster movies that better serve to highlight the endless cycle of death, drugs and betrayal of gang life better than American Me.

Brucekent33 The tirade you show in life comes back in a fossiled stain hologram indented in trees or billboards of late. Those visions are inept to the rightful stocking stuffed tamale. Which person is your go to Guy? i look at Michael not any other person. When i look at that person does not mean i am gonna give my life for him but rather as a way to help with your assimilation process and growth of knowledge here on earth. Those sacrificial party throwers can realign themselves to a new tune of trance. Do not ever seek the owner of the planet to die for anyones cause even if he blurts that out loud....I see your other party promoters yet i do not understand them if they are older than him. They have had several years to understand these issues to gather the right people to help solve them before they become and continue to be a problem... Sticking something up someones anal rectum is not what you should be doing to solve that issue. Look to nature as in those wind talking rain dancers to help solve that scene of distress...

HEX21 Great movie, because its a true story. Which today La Eme is alive and well as well as Nuestra familiar, two of the strongest and scariest Mexican/American gangs around. For those who don't understand gang activity may have a hard time understanding the movie, and may feel it might be corny though this stuff happens everyday and let me tell you it's not corny,it happens in our country everyday. Watching this film will open up your eyes and understand how serious our gang issue is in our country. You may thing that it's just another movie and that is was cheesy, but remember again this stuff happens everyday,it may not occur in your neck of the woods, though when you least expect it La Eme or Nuestra familiar might be near?