Alamo Bay (1985)

Good movie but grossly overrated

Expected more

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Movie takes place in Texas where many Asian immigrants showed up in the late seventies and these "good ole' boys" make a living catching fish and the Vietnamese are doing the same kind of work and taking their business. One man and his daughter hire many of the immigrants to help them and the rednecks take revenge and the town officials turn there back.. it's just racism that is everywhere and still very apparent all over the country.The thing is with me, is that I have seen so many films like this and it offered nothing new to me. The rednecks are mean people who get what they deserve and it was good they did in this film, but its sad knowing there's a lot of that racist garbage going on and few times do the victims get such sweet revenge.Production values are not great here, direction was simple, music was by Ry Cooder and very boring, even excruciating at times, his scores bend hard on that cliché, southern movie music score sound. Ed Harris did a damn good job as the redneck jerk on this film and many of the other actors did well too. I just couldn't suggest this film to anyone, it offered nothing new, and there is no wonder why it is a forgotten film. 3/10 stars

Notice the stereotypes this movie presents: Vietnamese as courteous, hardworking, church going honorable people. Vietnamese war vets: racist, womanizing drunks. This is one of many films that utterly demonizes Vietnam vets. Madigans character so admires the Vietnamese leader that she declares: "You have to be the last cowboy in Texas".If you watch most Vietnam war flicks vets are usually (take your pick or all of the below) criminals, drug users or dealers, perverts, rapists, psychologically unbalance, racists. Yet statistics show that VV's are no more prone to this than the rest of the general population. Do not watch this crap.

I lived in the Rockport-Fulton area, where parts of the movie was filmed, most of my life. I remember when the Vietnamese people began moving into the area, and the problems they had with some of the local citizens. This movie was pretty accurate about the feelings of some of the shrimpers, I am sorry to say. Ed Harris did a wonderful job of portraying the racist shrimper. He reminds me of a few people I knew in the area. Amy Madigan was also great portraying his former girlfriend. She had some tough decisions to make. This is a good movie with interesting characters and great acting. I think that the relationship between some of the Texas shrimpers and the Vietnamese shrimpers is portrayed pretty realistically.

This film, like its director, was years ahead of its time. Before Mississippi Burning, Cry Freedom, and Rosewood solidified the cliches of the racism genre, Louis Malle delivered this authentic, effortless look at Vietnamese fisherman working off the gulf coast of Texas. No house burnings and lynchings need apply. Malle and his writer Alice Arlen pay such close attention to detail that the film pants with life in the hot Texas sun. The actors scarcely seem to be acting at all. It takes skill and courage to film an incendiary subject like this won with a level head and a compassion for all involved. Despite its route cinematic ending, this film's catch is bountiful.