“Don’t be such a dreamer,” says Bob (Esai Morales) to his younger brother, to which soon-to-be teen star Ritchie Valens (Lou Diamond Phillips), né Richard Valenzuela, quickly retorts, “My dreams are pure rock ‘n’ roll.” It’s the kind of blunt, overearnest exchange found in countless music-based biopics, but it also exemplifies La Bamba’s penchant for the cartoonishly archetypal. Indeed, everyone surrounding Ritchie is stripped of both nuance and agency as their roles in the film rarely extend beyond fueling or antagonizing the future icon.
Ritchie’s girlfriend, Donna (Danielle von Zerneck), the namesake of one of his biggest hits, is little more than a poodle skirt and a cheery smile, while his doting mother, Connie (Rosanna DeSoto), is the quintessential ultra-supportive parent. Bob is certainly the most fully fleshed out of this trio, but even most of his personal ups and downs are presented as being directly...
Ritchie’s girlfriend, Donna (Danielle von Zerneck), the namesake of one of his biggest hits, is little more than a poodle skirt and a cheery smile, while his doting mother, Connie (Rosanna DeSoto), is the quintessential ultra-supportive parent. Bob is certainly the most fully fleshed out of this trio, but even most of his personal ups and downs are presented as being directly...
- 10/16/2023
- by Derek Smith
- Slant Magazine
Ritchie Valens was just 17 years old when he changed the course of pop music in the late 1950s. As the first Mexican-American hitmaker in the U.S., he laid the groundwork for Chicano rock and beyond, with an enduring legacy that continues to inspire generation after generation — from legends like Carlos Santana and Los Lobos to Gen Z musicians like Cuco and DannyLux. And while Valens died 62 years ago, his music continues to have an everlasting impact today, on what would have been his 80th birthday.
“Ritchie was a rock & roll pioneer,...
“Ritchie was a rock & roll pioneer,...
- 5/13/2021
- by Isabela Raygoza
- Rollingstone.com
In the Netflix biopic “The Dirt,” Pete Davidson of “Saturday Night Live” fame portrays A&R exec Tom Zutaut, the man who signed Motley Crue to Elektra and Guns N’ Roses to Geffen, while veteran character actor David Costabile is manager Doc McGhee. They follow in a long and illustrious line of label executives portrayed on screen, ranging from critical and box-office hits like “Ray” and “La Bamba” to lesser-seen music pics like “Cbgb” and “The Runaways.” Here’s our list of 10 of the most memorable:
1. Steven Coogan as Tony Wilson (“24 Hour Party People”). Coogan’s brilliant portrayal of the Manchester icon and Factory Records founder in Michael Winterbottom’s 2002 film also includes great turns from Paddy Considine as Rob Gretton, the manager of Joy Division and New Order who passed away in 1999, and “Lord of the Rings” star Andy Serkis as Martin Hannett, the noted producer and Factory partner...
1. Steven Coogan as Tony Wilson (“24 Hour Party People”). Coogan’s brilliant portrayal of the Manchester icon and Factory Records founder in Michael Winterbottom’s 2002 film also includes great turns from Paddy Considine as Rob Gretton, the manager of Joy Division and New Order who passed away in 1999, and “Lord of the Rings” star Andy Serkis as Martin Hannett, the noted producer and Factory partner...
- 3/25/2019
- by Roy Trakin
- Variety Film + TV
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