I had only been familiar with Ritchie Valens' "Donna" from an old 8-track compilation my parents had titled "Cruisin' 1959" and I actually knew that he died in that fateful plane crash also in 1959 prior to seeing La Bamba for the first time in 1987 when I was only 14.I wanted to see it ever since I had seen the ads for it as well as the video for "La Bamba" on Video Hits,which aired daily here in Canada.Casting was great and I like the fact that the entire movie script wasn't actually all centered around Ritchie and his all too brief music career as well as life.It focused as well on his troubled relationship with his alcoholic half-brother Bob and his insecurities about Ritchie being his Mom's favorite,his relationship with girlfriend Donna Ludwig and the usual trials of teenage love,& naturally,his mother and family.Even with some historical inaccuracies and all,this movie deserves a 10.

Never get tired of this movie. As the song says, the day the music died in lots of ways. Ritchie, Buddy and the Big Bopper. The first two? What might have been...As many other folks have said, I'm a true fan of Rock-n-Roll, and I simply don't get tired of watching this movie. LD Phillips is excellent, as are Esai Morales, PLUS Joe Pantoliona, who's just great! Brian Setzer was a perfect choice to play Eddie Cochran, as was Marshall Crenshaw for dear Buddy Holly. And of course we can't disregard the super soundtrack by Los Lobos.If you like this movie, you really need to get a hold of "The Real Buddy Holly Story", maybe from Netflix. Paul McCartney introduces sections, and it really takes you to the Lubbock area. As a native Texan, I cannot imagine a worse place to grow up! But it gave us Buddy, as well as Joe Ely. Plus my state have us Willy and Waylon. Whole different kind musicians, but really good. But I digress - back to La Bamba.This is simply a wonderful movie, capturing the early days of rock(minus Chuck Berry) and much more simple times. Was anybody worried about air pollution?? Watch the film and enjoy! I got sucked into it last night on AMC, could not stop watching it, even though I'd seen many times before, and stayed up much later than intended.So, come on, let's do it again and again and again.

I flat out love this movie. The cast is solid and great. Lou Diamond Phillips did an impeccable job portraying the late Ritchie Valens and all his potential. You can't go wrong with this film and I recommend that everyone should watch it at least once to learn about the 1950's sensation who was unfortunately a part of "the Day the Music Died." The dialogue is strong. Esai Morales and Phillips capture the often contentious and ultimately loving brother-brother relationship quite well. Morales nailed the heart-wrenching final scene of the movie and conveyed the vices and struggles of Bob. The supporting cast do an excellent job in playing Ritchie's mother, his girlfriend Donna, and the music producer Keane. La Bamba is an important film because it exposes the audience to a sad and true rags-to-riches story that ends abruptly and tragically. The music is amazing and well done, much like the original songs, which is a crucial component of why La Bamba is a classic among biopics, in my opinion.

La Bamba is a biographical film that follows the life and career of Chicano rock 'n' roll star Ritchie Valens. The film stars Lou Diamond Phillips in the title role together with Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Peña, Danielle von Zerneck, and Joe Pantoliano. The film also covers the effect that Valens' career had on the lives of his half- brother Bob Morales, his girlfriend Donna Ludwig and the rest of his family.It was written and directed by Luis Valdez. Legendary 1950s rocker Ritchie Valens,who was born Ricardo Valenzuela, is known for his radio and concert success with hits like "La Bamba", "C'mon Let's Go", and "Donna".He was a 15-year-old migrant worker who worked with his mother Connie. His half-brother Bob Morales is a vitriolic ex-con who roars into the migrant camp on his Harley after his release from jail. Valens' musical talents are encouraged by his family and he soon earns an audition with legendary record producer and former Artie Shaw clarinet player Bob Keane. He soon appears in an Alan Freed rock n' roll teen exploitation film, lip-synching his blistering recorded version of "Ooh, My Head". When a romance with Donna Ludwig is forbidden by her conservative father, he pens the famous ballad that bears her name. Tours follow his chart success until the fatal plane crash that claimed the lives of Valens, The Big Bopper and Buddy Holly on February 3,1959. This is the film that definitely immortalized Ritchie Valens to present generations.Credit the performance of Lou Diamond Phillips for he leaves a haunting impression as the late 1950s pop idol that made the Latino influence in rock & roll conspicuous through his hit songs. The directors also created a nimble, exciting, and sympathetic portrait of the boy driven to rise above obstacles of race and family legacy.The movie is also characterized by a great musical extravaganza from the hit songs of Valens played by Los Lobos as well as Valens' contemporaries like Valdez Eddie Cochrane and Buddy Holly.Overall,this was a solid and entertaining biopic.