Born in East L.A. (1987)

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Great movie! I thought it was funny, Sure I wanted to seriously hurt the border patrol dude, because he was discriminating to my Raza, but over all, it was great. Cheech does such great work in trying to get back to Los A and man is that funny! This movie needs an Oscar or some sort of award!

BORN IN EAST L.A. looks more like a threat to society than a comedy based on a Bruce Springsteen parody. Cheech Marin goes solo in this unfunny farce as a U.S. citizen who is wrongly deported to Mexico and tries to make it back to his L.A. home. Cheech tries his best to make it in Hollywood on his own, but without Chong, the hilarity just isn't there, and the movie's message is dismally pointless. A huge turkey with lots and lots of cheese on top of it. I'm sure that will be delicious, especially for Americans and Hispanics who dislike crap like this.0 out of 5

I love this movie! Next to "Shrimp on the Barbie," this is my favorite Cheech Marin movie as he goes on to prove he can actually be funny by not playing a pothead. A Mexican-American dragged across the border, he shows the lengths he is willing to go to return home and prove he is an American, but there is also a sensitive and heart-warming touch to his range as he proves he is also a good guy and not just some clown. Daniel Stern is also a hoot as an opportunist, and Paul Rodriguez flexes his comedic muscle that we his fans appreciate so much.

An idea suited more toward a 10 minute sketch is stretched to feature length in this decent enough comedy. The beginning and end are excellent ideas for perhaps a Saturday Night Live bit, but to pad the running time to its meek 87 minute point, writer-director-star Marin throws in some moderately entertanining moments. It all begins when he shows up at a factory to pick up his illegal alien cousin, but a surprise immagration raid ensues and, in the madness, an identification-less Marin is deported to Mexico. After some humorously done attempts at crossing the border fail, he goes to work for Stern, some sort of thumb-in-several pies businessman in Tijauna. In one of his pre-"Wonder Years" voice, City Slickers and Home Alone roles, Stern is great as the high octane Jimmy, a sauve operator of anything money related. He puts Marin to work encouraging passers by to enter a bar, or has him selling oranges on a street corner, and in one of the films best gags, teaching a bunch of dopey non-English speaking foreigners how to carry themselves in LA. The "wass-sappening" boys will be well remembered. But when the well runs dry at several points, Marin resorts to an extensive amount of musical numbers to suck up time. He throws in a half-hearted romance that doesn't really go anywhere, which may have given the film a little more to chew on. But its well worth the wait for the truly ingenius ending that I wouldn't dare spoil, only to say it cleverly incorparates Neil Diamond's "America". I would guess that Marin came up with the ending first and tried to come up with enough antics to reach that point. If you're patient, it should pay off well for you. Marin also contributed the memorable title song as well.