American Me (1992)

A very feeble attempt at affirmatie action

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Let me justify my extreme rating: this is not the worst movie I have ever seen but I only give it a one out of ten because of the ridiculously high rating it has on IMDb and I want movie-aficionados to not make the same mistake I did and assume it's a movie worth buying.Yes it is an accurate portrait of prison life and all that, but man, the musical score resembles that of late 80s TV-movies and soap operas. The decors (except inside the prison) to me do not feel like they're filthy south central LA streets. The vocabulary used is as stereotypical and over the top as if it's a braindead kind of video game. More "ORALE's" in here than f-bombs and "DUDES" combined the big lebowski. And this limited and insulting range of words combined with the cardboard acting result in paper-cut, one dimensional, zombie characters. If you're a 12 yo kid who likes the godfather and scarface (but steven seagal too), you'll love this. But if you're looking for a quality cinematic experience, skip it and watch a documentary about "la EMe" instead.

Few films have ever highlighted the struggles of gang life and perpetual cycle of bloodshed better than American Me. Ultimately the film focuses on a split in loyalty between the nuclear family and the criminal family and the tension between those two worlds. There is also a good deal of attention played to the inability to escape gang life, the very limited options of the gang members, and their narrow worldview.While there are may things to like about this film there are a few obnoxious flaws. While the plot and most of the performances are top notch, some of the dialog is redundant and much of the cinematography is unimaginative aside from a few memorable moments. The narration takes the form of simple rhymes which take away from the seriousness of the subject matter. Finally, there some odd editing decisions like cutting between the lovemaking of the main character and his girlfriend and a man being gang raped in prison, but otherwise the direction was stellar.My only real complaints about the film are the over use of the term "ese" which seems to be every other word and the score which is unfortunately stuck in the 1980's with cheesy softcore porn blues guitar. Otherwise there is very little to complain about.There are few if any gangster movies that better serve to highlight the endless cycle of death, drugs and betrayal of gang life better than American Me.

The tirade you show in life comes back in a fossiled stain hologram indented in trees or billboards of late. Those visions are inept to the rightful stocking stuffed tamale. Which person is your go to Guy? i look at Michael not any other person. When i look at that person does not mean i am gonna give my life for him but rather as a way to help with your assimilation process and growth of knowledge here on earth. Those sacrificial party throwers can realign themselves to a new tune of trance. Do not ever seek the owner of the planet to die for anyones cause even if he blurts that out loud....I see your other party promoters yet i do not understand them if they are older than him. They have had several years to understand these issues to gather the right people to help solve them before they become and continue to be a problem... Sticking something up someones anal rectum is not what you should be doing to solve that issue. Look to nature as in those wind talking rain dancers to help solve that scene of distress...

I seen this film when it first came out, back in 92 on VHS. The film stuck in my mind since-there have not been many films like it to date.Edward James Olmos is magnificent as actor and director. You may not have seen him in many films but he does have a quality about him that casts him perfectly in the principal role of gang leader / drug cartel. If you like prison films this is one of the best. It hasn't got too many clichés and avoids being overtly pretentious. William Forsythe is great as Edward James Olmos's buddy and as he-Forsythe-usually does when acting (doesn't try to overact or steal any scenes) he just does the business and blends in as his character engrossing you into the film giving it a more realistic depiction of the setting.Many prison films usually fit the same formula, showing you the in's and out's, morals and stereotypes usually associated with prison films. American ME just gets right into it and takes you along without preaching those usual morals and overdone cliché characters. This film is on a par with BLOOD IN BLOOD OUT. Check it out!