American Me

1992
18
2h 5m

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William Forsythe, Edward James Olmos, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in American Me (1992)

A Mexican-American Mafia kingpin is released from prison, falls in love for the first time, and grows introspective about his gangster lifestyle.A Mexican-American Mafia kingpin is released from prison, falls in love for the first time, and grows introspective about his gangster lifestyle.A Mexican-American Mafia kingpin is released from prison, falls in love for the first time, and grows introspective about his gangster lifestyle.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

11K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins & 2 nominations

Videos1

Trailer 1:48

American Me

Photos38

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Two of the most dangerous street gangs of East L.A., Il Grande Hazard and MC Forceros, called a truce to allow director Edward James Olmos to shoot the movie on their turfs.

Goofs
The lingo/street talk many of the gang members use didn't start to be used until the late '70s or early '80s.

Quotes
Montoya Santana: I hear Little Puppet's name is on a piece of paper, ese.
J.D.: I want you to cosign it.
Montoya Santana: I'm taking it off, ese.
J.D.: That punk got you kicked back in the hole, set us all back. Now he's running around talking loud shit about how he wants out of La Eme. His number's up, homes.
Montoya Santana: I said I'm taking it off, ese.
J.D.: What's gonna happen is gonna happen. Don't try to stop it. You understand me? I'm asking you, carnal.
Montoya Santana: Is that where it's gotten to, ese?
J.D.: Brothers are talking about you.
Montoya Santana: What are they saying, ese?
J.D.: They're saying that you're not showing them anything.
Montoya Santana: You know, a long time ago, two best homeboys, two kids, were thrown into juvie. They were scared, and they thought they had to do something to prove themselves. And they did what they had to do. They thought they were doing it to gain respect for their people, to show the world that no one could take their class from them. No one had to take it from us, ese. Whatever we had... we gave it away. Take care of yourself, carnal.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: My Cousin Vinny/Article 99/American Me/The Lawnmower Man/Shakes the Clown/Daughters of the Dust (1992)

Soundtracks
El Gaban
Arrangement by Alfredo Lopez, Abel Rocha, Fernando Nataren
Performed by Quetzlcoatl

User reviews64

Review

Featured review

8/10

American Me. Thumbs up!

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!