Heartbreaking life of music superstar in 'greatest' film fans have just days to watch

Edinburgh Live

14-05-2025

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The brief yet influential life of American Chicano rock and roll musician Ritchie Valens has been poignantly portrayed in the 1987 biopic La Bamba.
Penned and directed by Luis Valdez, La Bamba chronicles the life and fleeting musical career of Valens - renowned as a trailblazer of rock and roll and a progenitor of the Chicano rock movement.
Lou Diamond Phillips takes on the role of Ritchie Valens, sharing the screen with Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Peña, Danielle von Zerneck and Joe Pantoliano. The film also explores the impact of Valens' short-lived career on his girlfriend Donna Ludwig, his half-brother Bob Morales, and his family.
Named after a traditional Mexican folk song, La Bamba features a cameo from Ritchie Valens' real mother - Connie Valenzuela. The Valenzuela family were reportedly heavily involved in all aspects of the biographical film's production.
The stirring biopic is available to watch on Netflix until 31 May, reports the Daily Record.
Raking in $52.7 million in the United States over a 12-week release period, La Bamba garnered generally favourable reviews from critics and audiences alike.
One critic hailed Luis Valdez's creation as a "rousing foot-tapper", writing: "This rousing foot-tapper from the pioneering American film-maker Luis Valdez is the definitive Eighties music biopic.
Another review described La Bamba as: "Sweet and serious, a fine little movie that accomplishes just what it sets out to do."
One viewer was profoundly moved by the film, saying: "More than a week after seeing the film, I cannot shake La Bamba's people, its vitality, the freshness of its vision, and the profoundly honest way it views the milieu of its characters and the larger American canvas surrounding them."
A different review praised the movie's tone, adding: "Sweet and serious, a fine little movie that accomplishes just what it sets out to do."
The film was deemed the "greatest biopic ever made" by an enthusiast who said: "The greatest Bio Movie ever made! ! Lou Diamond Phillips and the cast give amazing performances."
An in-depth user review applauds the film's merits, stating: "You know for a movie that's in the Library of Congress, nobody really talks about La Bamba all that much. How come? This was a really good biography about a singer who was tragically gone too soon with spot-on casting, classic music and a lot of heart."
Further adding to the praise: "It's a decidedly unpretentious rags-to-riches biopic and even with the ending being a foregone conclusion for anyone who knows even the vaguest thing about Richie Valens, it doesn't stop it from being any less shocking and poignant. La Bamba is a criminally underrated movie and if you love biographies, then you should definitely check this one out."
Amid various reactions, one person said, "I wont lie, I did cry," while another expressed sheer admiration, claiming: "It's the best performance I've ever seen. Great story, great actors."
Another viewer chimed in with their take on the film, added: "Solid music biopic. Hits all the typical beats, but does so with a strong cast and performances that are endearing. Such a tragic tale, but an engaging one."