American Me (1992)

A Mexican-American Mafia kingpin is released from prison, falls in love for the first time, and grows introspective about his gangster lifestyle.

Director:

Edward James Olmos

Writers:

Floyd Mutrux (story), Floyd Mutrux (screenplay),

Stars:

Sal Lopez, Vira Montes, Edward James Olmos

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sal Lopez	...	Pedro Santana
Vira Montes	...	Esperanza Santana
Roberto Martín Márquez	...	Acha (as Robert Martin Marquez)
Dyana Ortelli	...	Yolanda
Joe Aubel	...	Tattoo Artist
Rob Garrett	...	Zoot Riot Bystander
Lance August	...	Young Sailor
Cody Glenn	...	Older Sailor
Don Pugsley	...	Police Officer
Panchito Gómez	...	Young Montoya Santana (as Panchito Gomez)
Albert Joe Medina Jr.	...	Street Mechanic
Alex Solís	...	Street Mechanic (as Alex Solis)
Raymond Amezquita	...	Abuelito
Steve Wilcox	...	Young JD
Richard Coca	...	Young Mundo

Storyline

This epic depiction of thirty years of Chicano gang life in Los Angeles focuses on a teen named Santana who, with his friends Mundo and the Caucasian-but-acting-Hispanic J.D., form their own gang and are soon arrested for a break-in. Santana gets into trouble again and goes straight from reform school to prison, spending eighteen year there, and becoming leader of a powerful gang, both inside and outside the prison, while there. When he is finally released, he tries to make sense of the violence in his life, in a world much changed from when last he was in it.

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Plot Keywords:

prison | gang | mafia | raped with a weapon | solitary confinement | 

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Taglines:

In prison they are the law. On the streets they are the power.

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and sensuality, and for language and drug content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 March 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sans rémission

Filming Locations:

Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$16,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$13,086,430 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Olmos Productions, Universal Pictures, YOY

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The characters of Santana (Olmos), J.D. (Forsythe) and Mundo (Serna) are based on real-life Mexican Mafia leaders Rudy "Cheyenne" Cadena, Joe "Pegleg" Morgan and Roberto "Robot" Salas.

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Quotes

Young Montoya Santana: [Mundo is being devoted into the gang] Come on, give me your hand. You know what, ese, White Fence, Maria, Varnita, they've been around here longer than us, you know. It's cool. We've got our own clika, strong clika. Finally getting into our own, gaining respect.
Young JD: Our clika, our barrio, our family - that's all we got, ese.
Young Mundo: Simon.
Young JD: When we were kids, belonging felt good. But having respect, that feels even better.
Young Montoya Santana: Cause La Primera lives through us. It gives to us. It is us. We make it, carnal, we ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Next Friday (2000)

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Soundtracks

"Tierra Bravia"
Written by José Alfredo Jiménez (as Jose Alfredo Jiminez)
Performed by Mariachi Soul de Mexico

User Reviews

Intense Disturbing and Underrated Film

"American Me" is arguably the most significant film not discussed in the same breath with crime epics such as "The Godfather." It was clearly made, both consciously and perhaps subconsciously to be the Mexican Godfather film and that is hardly a bad thing. Its honesty regarding the emotional costs of violence and murder are on par with that film. I don't know what to say to anyone who critiques Edward James Olmos. First, this actor's capacity to convey a complicated range of emotions without words is absolutely staggering and has been seen to great effect in many great films including "Blade Runner." Additionally, he is inarguably the premiere Latino / Chicano filmmaker and actor of all time. If you look at the films he has been involved with, think about how they have dominated the way Hispanic people, Mexicans in particular, have been seen by others who would, largely, not even know of the experiences of their neighbors. "American Me" is so unflinching that, after seeing it, I had to see it again to believe it was actually made by or released by a major studio. Once upon a time studio films featured honest portraits of life but rarely any more. "American Me" tho hardly the knee-slapping comedy some reviewer wanted or expected, conveys an honest sense of the life lived by many without the hope of education or prosperity but with the same need for respect and something bigger than themselves to believe in that you or anyone else has and lives their life by. If you want to see a life perhaps very different than yours depicted with uncommon honesty, watch this film.