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:

Edward James Olmos, William Forsythe, Sal Lopez

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 years 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:

gay rape | prison | gang | reform school | violence | 

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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)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,378,100, 15 March 1992, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$13,086,430

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

Was supposedly Hip Hop legend Tupac Shakur's all time favorite movie. He even had sampled a line from the movie as part of the chorus in the track "Death Around The Corner" off of the "Me Against the World" (1995) album.

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Goofs

When the Mexican inmates are walking up with the mop and bucket to assassinate the African-American inmate, it shows the African-American inmate lying in just a t-shirt on his bed. In the next scene, after he's caught on fire, he's wearing his long sleeve button up.

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Quotes

Montoya Santana: Little Puppet!
Little Puppet: Orale!
Montoya Santana: Orale! How are you doing?
Little Puppet: Great.
Montoya Santana: It's good, ese. Called you for a little task, all right?
Little Puppet: Simon.
Montoya Santana: Now you'll do El Chucko. Want you to handle it for us, all right?
Puppet: I'll take care of it, ese.
Montoya Santana: Was I talking to you, ese?
Puppet: Santana, let me do it. Mi carnalito... that's not his thing. I mean he's no punk or nothing but...
[...]

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Connections

Features Hypnotic Hick (1953)

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Soundtracks

Dedicated to You
Written by Egnoian and Morgan
Performed by Sonny Knight
Courtesy of Starla Records
by arrangement with Original Sound Entertainment/Celebrity Licensing Inc.

User Reviews

Powerful Prison Scenes

American Me was the first film to paint an accurate picture of what it can like in America's prison system. Most films in this genre have a Hollywoodized portrayal of live behind bars. Olmos's tale of latino gang life in and outside of prison is right on the mark. This is a good film to show to all those would be gangbangers out there that think prison is cool.