la bamba

For a bio-pic about the meteoric rise and tragic death of Ritchie Valens, it’s curious that La Bamba (1987) chooses to shift the focus to a different tragedy altogether. Lou Diamond Phillips makes for a charismatic – if a tad too squeaky clean – leading man. But it’s co-star Esai Morales who has the more compelling role as his brother Bob, a tortured, alcoholic trouble-maker who sinks even further into despair when Ritchie hits it big.

Unlike its companion piece, The Buddy Holly Story (1978), La Bamba isn’t really about the music. Writer / director Luis Valdez emphasizes the broken families and harsh conditions that kept Latinos trapped in their basement barrios with little hope of moving up and out. It’s not subtle, but it gets its point across. Ritchie bears the burden of everyone’s dream for a better car, a better home and a better life. Everyone except Bob, that is, who resents his brother’s success and favored status in the family.

Morales’ portrayal of the conflicted prodigal son is so much more nuanced and mature than the others in the film, it’s surprising that his career wasn’t the one boosted by the film’s success. Instead, Phillips moved on to second-tier brat pack stardom thanks to his charming grin and spot-on lip syncing (all of the tracks were actually performed by Los Lobos). He’s likable, affable but ultimately forgettable as a character that’s written far too bland when he’s not behind a microphone.

The plane crash that cost Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper their lives is treated as a respectful off-screen affair. The focus is on those left behind, just as the film’s intention seemed to be from the beginning. La Bamba turns out to be a pleasant parable about the dangers of success…just not quite in the way one would expect it to be told.

Twilight Time’s 3000-copy limited edition Blu-ray makes a great bookend for their previous release of The Buddy Holly Story. The transfer is clear, colorful and detailed. An isolated score track should satisfy the audiophiles while a pair of commentary tracks (one with Valdez, Phillips and Morales, the other with producers Taylor Hackford) drop a needle on pretty much everything of note.