Born in East L.A. (film)
| Born in East L.A. | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Cheech Marin |
| Written by | Cheech Marin |
| Produced by | Stan Coleman Peter MacGregor Scott |
| Starring | Cheech Marin Daniel Stern Paul Rodriguez |
| Cinematography | Alex Phillips Jr. |
| Edited by | Don Brochu Stephen Lovejoy David Newhouse Mike Sheridan |
| Music by | Lee Holdridge |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 85 minutes |
| Country | Template:Film US |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $17,355,263 (US)[1] |
Born in East L.A. is a 1987 American comedy film written and directed by Cheech Marin of the Cheech & Chong comedy team.
The film is about a Mexican-American from East Los Angeles who is mistaken for an illegal alien and deported. It is based on a novelty parody song (1984) of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A.". Written by Marin and released on the 1985 Cheech & Chong album Get Out of My Room, the parody was made a music video the same year. Marin used the song as the basis of his first solo film. It was distributed by Universal Pictures and later released on VHS and DVD.
Plot
Rudy Robles (Marin) is told by his mother to pick up his cousin Javier (Paul Rodriguez) at a factory before she leaves for Fresno. Robles arrives shortly before immigration officials raid the factory looking for illegals. Because he is carrying no identification, and his mother and sister are not available to verify he is a US citizen, Robles is deported with the illegals to Mexico.
Ironically, Robles cannot speak more than very simple Spanglish, though he is fluent in German from having served in Germany in the United States Army.
In Tijuana, Robles becomes friends with ex-con Jimmy (Daniel Stern) and a waitress named Dolores (Kamala Lopez-Dawson). Unable to contact with his mother, Robles makes repeated attempts to cross the border, all ending in failure.
Jimmy offers to get him back to home for a price. Having left home without his wallet, Robles works for Jimmy as doorman at a strip club, earning extra money selling oranges and teaching two Central Americans and three others would be illegals to walk and talk like East Los Angeles natives. They become called the "Waas Sappening Boys" or "What's Happening Boys".
Robles falls in love with Dolores and finally raises the money needed to be smuggled across the border. He goes on a date with Dolores and the next day, Robles bids farewell to Jimmy, receives a last kiss goodbye from Dolores and climss into the Coyote's truck. He sees a woman pleading to be taken for free because her husband is already in the truck and their family is in the United States. Robles gives the woman his place.
Robles stands for the last time on the hill of the Mexico – United States border while two Immigration Officers sit in their truck watching in laughter. The song "America" by Neil Diamond is heard as hundreds appear and race forward to reach the American Dream. The Immigration Officers hide in their truck. Rudy, Dolores, and their "Waas Up" friends walk with their heads up high into the United States.
At the end as the titles roll, the song version of "Born in East L.A." plays.
Cast
- Cheech Marin as Rudy
- Paul Rodriguez as Javier
- Daniel Stern as Jimmy
- Kamala Lopez-Dawson as Dolores
- Jan-Michael Vincent as McCalister
- Lupe Ontiveros as Rudy's mother
- Urbanie Lucero as Rudy's sister
- Chastity Ayala as Rudy's niece
- David Perez as Rudy's nephew
- Neith Hunter as Marcie
- Larry Blackmon as Slick dude
- Tito Larriva as Oscar
- Geoffrey Rivas as Immigration Aide
- Eddie Barth as Lester
- Miguel Delgado as José
- Del Zamora as Waas Sappening Boy #2
Critical reception
The film was popular, but was panned by the critics. Film critic Richard Harrington of The Washington Post wrote:
The filming is often flat, as is much of the acting. In fact, the short musical video of "Born in East L.A." is far superior to the film.[2]
Caryn James, film critic for The New York Times, wrote:
Born in East L.A. is enormously good-natured—exactly the wrong tone for a comedy that needs all the rambunctious lunacy it can get. Instead, this story of an American mistakenly deported to Mexico as an illegal alien is amiable and plodding, the very last things you'd expect from Cheech, with or without Chong.[3]
Awards
Wins
- Havana Film Festival: Winner, Best Production Design & Best Screenplay; 1987.
- Havana Film Festival: 3rd Place, Grand Coral Prize, Cheech Marin; 1987.
References
- ^ "Born in East L.A. (1987)". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved March 19, 2011.
- ^ Harrington, Richard (August 31, 1987). "Born in East L.A. review". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 19, 2011. Retrieved March 12, 2010.
- ^ James, Caryn (August 24, 1987). "Born in East L.A. review". The New York Times. Retrieved March 12, 2010.
