Ritchie Valens' career as a professional musician lasted only eight months, but in that time he recorded one of the most recognized songs of the 20th century. Recorded almost as an afterthought, "La Bamba" is one of those songs that almost everyone has heard regardless of their preferred style of music, and nearly as many like. Although the song was a traditional Mexican folk tune, it is Valens' version that everyone knows. He was also a talented guitarist and songwriter-many forget that "La Bamba" was actually the B-side of his self-penned hit, "Donna". Aside from his artistic talent, his place in rock and roll mythology was assured when he perished with the Big Bopper and Buddy Holly on "the day the music died", in early 1959. At the time of his death, he was only seventeen and had only released two singles.
A film version of Valens life would seem to be one unbearable sadness- he was apparently an likeable and good natured person who deserved more than to be cut down in the prime of life. But Luis Valdez's movie manages to avoid much of the Don McLlean pretentiousness and is mostly fun. It is not a perfect film and as Edwin D. Oslan pointed out, is in plot slightly above a TV movie in terms of content, but far greater in terms of entertainment.
In only focusing on the last year of Valens's life, Valdez manages to make the film essentially a slice of life drama as opposed to a typical rock and roll biography. A first generation American of Mexican descent, Valens was born into poverty in Southern California. The film begins shortly after a move to slightly better conditions outside a Las Angeles suburb. The film relates of out the teenager (played by Lou Diamond Phillips in his movie debut) as he strikes a relationship with a white teenager named Donna (Danielle von Zerneck) and forms a band that comes to the attention of a talent scout (Joe Panteliano). On the home front, his edgier older brother (Esai Morales) causes problems for his family, abusing his pregnant wife and often embarrassing the family.
Although parts of the film are melodramatic and rather cheesy (such as the ludicrously underwritten character of Donna's racist father), this doesn't really hurt the enjoyment factor the movie, and it's gratifying to watch nice guy Ritchie form a pleasantly chaste relationship with Donna. It's also nice to see that in the film at least, Valens family was supportive of his musical career (his mother acted as his manager before he went pro), and the family may quarrel, but always stays essentially close.
Director Valdez, however, does make many mistakes- the subplot involving Ritchie's brother sometimes slows down the film, and he doesn't fully exploit the sense of dread that the final concert should bring (although an inferior film, The Buddy Holly Story was better in this aspect). I did like how Valdez conveys the sadness and cruel randomness of his death while not allowing the tragedy to outwait the achievements of the rock star's life or his personality. And that's for the best- Ritchie Valenz will be remembered through his music, which will be around as long as people have parties.
La Bamba (1987)