Philadelphia Daily News from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 54

July 24. 1987 PHILADELPHIA XAILY NEWS Page 54 MOVIE- REVIEW JUST A NICE GUY WITH A GUITAR The movie is about Ritchie Valens (born Ricardo Valenzuela), who was 17 years old and the owner of three hit singles when he died in a plane crash (along with the now-revered Buddy Holly and the now-forgotten Big Bopper) in 1959. And the story set in this case in the California Chicano community has all the elements we've come to expect from the genre: Ritchie's devotion to music you always carry your guitar with you?" someone asks him; "It's my future," he replies), his love for someone outside his class (the "The Jazz Singer9 was the first talking picture. Its story about a young man trying to escape an impoverished and ethnically limiting environment through the magical powers of music had an inescapable appeal to it, a fact proved by the number of times it has since been repeated: in (among many others) "Golden Boy," "Coal Miner's Daughter" and now "La Bamba." "La Bamba." a drama with music starring Esai Morales, Bosana De Soto, Elizabeth Pena, Joe Pantoliano and Lou Diamond Phillips. Written and directed by Luis Valdez.

Music performed by Los Lobos. A Columbia release. At area theaters. By BEN YAGODA Daily News Movie Critic It's no coincidence that Al Jolson's WiSmMSIMISMHEO blonde "discovery," early success, family conflict and the not -uncommon varianl (Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Buddy Holly) of untime-" ly death. "La Bamba," the second film to be written and directed by Luis Valdez (the first was "Zoot will go down as one of the classics of the genre.

The main problem is that, at 17, Valens wasnt distinctive enough either as a musician or a person to carry a movie. Valdez couldn't do anything about the music, which was appealing and promising enough, but not notably different from what other rock and rollers were doing at the same time. But he could have given us a more complex interpretation of Ritchie Valens the young man. As (well) played by Lou Diamond Phillips; Ritchie calls to mind just one word. The word is nice.

He is polite to his elders, winning with his friends, gentlemanly with women. He justs wants to play his music and be with Donna. Admirable qualities; not that Still, "La Bamba" is an appealing film, in part because of its very nice-ness. In telling the Valens story, Val- -dez has taken the edge off many music-bio cliches, a welcome counter to our expectations. Thus Ritchie's early success does not go to his head, his manager, Bob Keene (Joe Pantoliano) does not exploit him, and Don- na (Danielle von Zerneck), initially forbidden by her racist parents to see Ritchie, defies their orders and is reunited with him.

A second feature of "La Bamba" is the outstanding performance by Esai Morale? (he played Sean Penn's Latin nemesis in "The Bad as Ritchie's black-sheep brother Bob. With his goatee and pompadour, his motorcycle and black leather, Bob is as bad as Ritchie is good yet Morales succeeds in creating a complex, charismatic character, pushed down by his brother's lightning success yet secretly buoyed by it At times Valdez's screenplay pushes these but- "TWO THUMBS UP." both as a thriller and unexpected comedy." 'R0B0C0P' is more exciting than a Lakers game, Lou Diamond Phillips as Valens tons a little too obviously, but thanks to Morales' exciting work we don't mind. Finally, "La Bamba" is distinctive in its setting. We've seen Jewish kids who want to play music, and hillbilly ones, but never before a Chicano. Valdez knowingly evokes this set-, ting, the migrant farm camp and the trailer park, and it's good just to hear the lilting Jones of the California Chicano accent somewhere other than a Cheech and Chong movie.

The most interesting idea in the movie is the notion that Ritchie, who grew up speaking English and acting pretty much like Beaver Cleaver, could only discover his musical identity by recovering his cultural one (a process represented in a somewhat hokey. encounter with an ancient medicine man). Valdez suggests that Ritchie's breakthrough song was "La Bamba" (the dance), which fuses three-chord rock and roll with the words and rhythms of a Veracruz wedding dance. The implication is that, had he lived, Valens would have gone on to make even more daring cross-cultural excursions. This is a possibility that makes it all the sadder that Ritchie Valens died 29 years ago next February.

Parental guide: Rated PG-13. Language, sex. funnier than a Rodney Dangerfield monologue." -IwisBeale, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS A FILM COUP OF THE -Jim Vemierc, BOSTON HERALD "MOVE OVER, 'R0S0C0F is where high-tech meets A High -Carrie Bckey, PHLADELPHIA 1NQUIREH M.lldiHiY.HH-rL goes where no movie has gone before and keeps on going." Michael Helton, CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER If they didn't make They wouldn't be Nerds! THE FUTURE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. ad Davison phoduoiqk a Paul Vertiosven nm FElep Wellep Nancy Allen Robocoii Daniel iTHerllliir Ronny CoKurtwooi! HI Miguel Ferrer in Ensil Poledourls director ofphhtography Moid film editor Frank 1 Urioste rqbqcop desioid by Ron Botiin executive producer Jon Davison -mm by Edward Rieumeier Michael Miner produced by Urne Schmidt directed by Paul Veriioeven Cntwl taitifnow 9k at Gtanite Sun Mall BBOAO STREET RESTRICTED Sj5 fcaiaDle on teres Svatanfe Wll7K0UifSCCOPIHiW I feewts tosertesamCwpaclQ.scs Til DOIBY STEREO An UfUWII PICTURES Release WEAD 1HE Df LL BOQXi Onon dcusCopot au ffeonis RoMTvea. MO N.

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