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

Gross USA:

$13,086,430

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$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

Two of the most dangerous street gangs of East L.A., Il Grande Hazard and MC Forceros, called a truce to allow director Edward James Olmos to shoot the movie on their turfs.

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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

Puppet: Can I talk to you a minute?
Montoya Santana: Simon, ese.
Puppet: I heard about what happened. I'm sorry, Santana. Mi carnalito, he messed up.
Montoya Santana: It wasn't his fault, ese. It was all American beef. When they wanna pop you they're gonna pop you. Want some grill cheese, ese?
Puppet: No, thanks.
Montoya Santana: You sure, ese? It's good.
Puppet: People are saying it's Little Puppet's fault.
Montoya Santana: It wasn't his fault, ese.
Puppet: You know me, carnal, I'll do anything for La Eme. Anything. But I'm asking you, please, take my brother's name off.
Montoya Santana: Your brother's name is on a ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in The Cleveland Show: Hot Cocoa Bang Bang (2011)

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Soundtracks

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Written by Gloria Caldwell, Sol Marcus, Bennie Benjamin
Performed by The Animals
By Arrangement with EMI Records UK and ABKCO Records

User Reviews

Packs an Emotional Wallop

This almost qualifies as the "Goodfellas" of Mexican Mafia movies, although it lacks the humor and character development that make the violence wrought by Scorsese's goons somewhat palatable.

Not for the weak of heart, this is one of the more daring works of early 90's American cinema. Violent, ugly and (allegedly) based on true events, the film yanks you into a world that lifelong residents of Los Angeles (like me) have never seen. The film starts with the L.A. zoot suit riots of the 1940's as a backdrop (Olmos portrayed "El Pachuco" in the stage and screen versions of "Zoot Suit"), and chronicles the rise and fall of Santana (Olmos) who, along with his boyhood "crime partners" (the always good William Forsythe and Pepe Serna), becomes the overlord of the Mexican prison mafia.

From the get go, the viewer is yanked down to the violent streets of East Los Angeles, then it's on to Folsom State Prison for some of the most brutal prison sequences this side of "Runaway Train."

This film has its critics - some lambaste the acting as second rate, and some view the dialog as corny (the poetic voice over by Olmos worked for me). Personally, I noticed none of this. I regard this as a very important film that deserves to be seen, now more than ever.

Not quite Scorsese, but light years better (and more socially relevant) than the "Penitentiary" movies. Those who can stomach the brutality will be richly rewarded with a film experience not easily forgotten.