Mi vida loca (1993) User Reviews

Bittersweet tale of life in the Echo.

[senortuffy · 7/10 · 13 January 2004]

This is a very interesting film about the girls who hang out with the gangbangers in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. The focus shifts from one character to another, but the story is pretty much always told from the viewpoint of the girls.

This movie is bittersweet to me because it documents much of the tragedy surrounding the senseless killings on the street but it also offers a vision of hope. The characters in the film are shown as real human beings - the director used a mix of actors and real people from the neighborhood. It's sad to see how innocent many of them are yet how easily the violence comes.

Don't think this is just all shootings and beatings. It's mostly about the neighborhood and the people in it, and that's where the sweet in bittersweet comes from. Even amid all the tragedy, men and women hook up with each other, babies are born, life goes on. It's not the melodrama of "West Side Story", it's more a poignant look at life in the Echo.

Production values lag at times but this is still a very fine movie and one of my favorites.

Doesn't hit all the right targets, but dramatically effective

[MovieLuvaMatt · 7/10 · 28 June 2003]

"Mi Vida Loca" is a documentary-like approach to examining the lives of Hispanic girls in Echo Park. The film is never over-dramatized. The dialogue is authentic, and never stylized, and so are the performances. The story never takes the predictable Hollywood route. However, it still could've used more structure. At first I thought the film's focus was on the character of Sad Girl. About 15-20 minutes through, the focus changes to another character and the same pattern occurs throughout the film. So I didn't feel as connected to the film as I expected. If the characters and situations were unrealistic, I would be totally disengaged, but that wasn't the case and as a result, I was still entertained and moved. Almost all the scenes take place in apartments, sidewalks and parks, so it's obvious that the film was made on a low-budget, but that small budget was put to good use and I give Allison Anders much credit.

My score: 7 (out of 10)

Very hard girls

[ill_behavior · 7/10 · 2 October 2003]

I'm a big fan of cheap movies, and again I'm shown an excellent example here of intelligent shoe-string filmmaking.

The story revolves around the hispanic girl gang of Echo Park, while there is no story as such, the floating viewpoint takes in the mindsets of all the characters and gives a kind of overview of what it's like to live your life to the strict rules of gang culture.

Some of the women look very hard indeed, and I found out later a few are actual gang members. Very impressive. Watch out for cameos by a young Spike Jonze and Jason Lee. That's a footnote though, the film is enjoyable, the medium pace never stretches your patience and the performances are very good.

Themes of retribution, faith, friendship and loyalty are the main talking points, but I'd recommend this film to anyone with a slight interest in gang culture and in this case, female gangs.

A look at another world

[Schlockmeister · 7 December 2000]

This movie feels more like a documentary than anything else. You sense the realism in the script, locations and the actors. It helps that you will not recognize anyone here from anywhere else, there is no "baggage" at all with the actors. The movie follows the lives of several women who live on the periphery of a hispanic gang. They live lifes of tragedy and sadness, loathing themselves and the town they are from. They push their children in strollers, watch out for drive-by shootings and wait for the latest news on which of their boyfriends were killed, injured or jailed. The movie also portrays quite well, in the face of their tragedy, the girls have a strong bond within themselves and even though they may have fights over men, they ultimately will stand up for each other. They should, it seems no one else will. Great movie. Recommended as an escape movie. It will take you out of your world to a world you would probably never want to visit. Like life, it is not romanticized and it is not shown in an overly bad light. It just is.

Mi Vida Girls

[batroc2700 · 7/10 · 6 June 2012]

Excellent movie.

This is the birth of hood-rats and the choices to make. "Why you gotta be like this?"

Really? That's the guy and life you want to follow? It's sad cases that you can see happens in real life as well.

Visions of hope and the tragedy mixed in you can see coming a mile away. They think they're the "baddest" girls around, they fight each other, their boyfriends, rivals and just life in general.

It's another world that lives beneath, the urban lifestyle trapping the girls in a place that most people would never want to live in.

The Hood

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 22 March 2017]

Mousie and Sad Girl are childhood best friends in a contemporary Los Angeles poor Hispanic neighborhood. But when Sad Girl becomes pregnant by Mousie's boyfriend, a drug dealer named Ernesto, the two become bitter enemies.

At the time of filming, most of the cast was made up of unknown actors, some of whom were actual gang members from Echo Park (such as Danny Trejo). It also includes the first film appearances from Salma Hayek and Jason Lee, in small roles. That last point makes the film important in its own strange way.

I suppose you could see this film as something of a follow-up and answer to Dennis Hopper's "Colors". Set a few years later, it covers some of the same ground, just on a lower budget.

Not awful, but could be much better

[dowcet · 5/10 · 4 June 2008]

When NPR did a series of stories on gangs in Los Angeles, I remembered that I'd been meaning to see this film and found it streaming online. It was pretty disappointing, but not a complete waste of time. I'm not an expert on gangs, but I believe the other reviewer may be correct that this film is relatively realistic, and at the same time, it is not excessively graphic for a gang movie, focusing on various lives in the neighborhood.

The worst part was definitely the acting. Some of the writing was painful too, but there were a few outstanding scenes. My favorite bit was a monologue (I think by Ernesto?) about the different feelings he gets (disgust, superiority, sexual arousal) from selling drugs to desperate whites. Certain characters like Blue Eyes and Puppet were also interesting, but otherwise the story was pretty weak. There was an interesting attempt at carrying a feminist message but it didn't really work for me. If anyone knows of a better film about Chicano gangs, let me know.

love life and violence

[baughmanrebecca · 8/10 · 4 February 2006]

i loved this movie. It shows the life and struggles of young Hispanics growing up in the hood. With this even if it is not acted out to the best of other actors abilities, these actors are real. They may not know how to act very well, but they are true to the character. It shows that no matter how you begin your life you always have a choice and depending on the choice you make it can change your life forever. From gangs to drugs and even guns this movie takes you in the life of some harsh realities. With the good the bad and the babies they do the best they can with what they have. Survival is everything. Similar movies to see are Blood In Blod Out Bond By Honor, American Me, and raising Victor Vargas. These movies also focus on the ups and downs of gangster life.

Stereotyping Disaster

[TrixRforKids · 3/10 · 5 February 2005]

Well let's see...I saw this movie when I was about twelve years old and thought it was pretty good considering it was a low budget film, and I still do give credit to the makers of it for that aspect. However I am afraid to say that being grown up and realizing that gangs are anything but cool and that two women getting pregnant by the same man and fighting for him, is by far what defines Mexican culture. Therefore I am going to have to give this movie two thumbs down. The movie does nothing but show the negative aspects of ghetto life and places Hispanic faces to portray it.

Main characters Mousie and Sad Girl never change throughout the movie. In fact almost all the characters are pretty one-dimensional and have no revelation or turn-around whatsoever. The only character to change was Giggles when she decides to get a job with computers but the other girls look at her as if they don't know the meaning of the word. They think she's weird for wanting to better herself so instead they sit around at home, don't go to school, deal drugs and bring their children around the other gang members. There's even an irrelevant part where Sad Girl is "tripping out" because she only has two food stamps left. Little lines like that that have no meaning or relevance to the progression of the story make me cease to wonder why Hollywood insists on making Hispanics be portrayed so poorly.

To the makers of this movie...Shame on you.

True Enough

[castro_la_bonita77 · 10/10 · 14 May 2002]

It is so much like the world I grew up in during my high school years that there isn't a character in the movie I can't identify with. Everytime I watch it, it's like I'm watching a home video of me and my old friends....

Average at best

[Agent10 · 4/10 · 24 June 2002]

Sadly, this film really didn't do much for the budding Mexican cinema. While some might think this is a good reflection of Mexican culture, it is more like a Mexican version of Smoke Signals, which also portrayed its target demographic in a rather odd way. Nonetheless, this film did have an early incantation of Salma Hayek, which I will give it props. Beside that, it's best you stay away.

Gang life in L.A.

[nita1210us · 16 July 2001]

Hi my name is Shanita and I just want to give you all a brief summary about a movie called Mi Vida Loca.This movie is about two girls who grew up together and was really good best friends,they even got jumped in the Ecko Park gang at the same time.When the girls got older one of them was in the hospital given birth to her baby, and when she came back home she had found out her best friend had got pregnant by her baby's father.That start a big disagreement between the two girls,so they had planned a day to meet each other so that they could fight.They were so scared of each other that they told their baby's by in away that seemed like good bye forever. Once they had met up to fight they were so scared that they were going to kill each other but they didn't and this story goes on and on but I think you should watch it. I think this was a very good movie that all teens especially should see it really gives you a wake up call on life period.

Poorly casted and bad acting

[k-Soze36 · 5/10 · 26 January 2004]

This movie portraying the life of cholas and cholos (gangsta chicks/vatos)living in the hood of Echo parke!) The movie has some good potential to the raw image of the street life. it portrays gang members being jumped by fellow members to be in their gang. It has very poor acting and often shifts the story and doesnt focus too much on one subject. This movie could of had more potential in the box office if it had been casted alot better. These are first time actors who need to get some more acting skills. Thats partly why I thought it was a bit humorous in some parts. I mean one of the hoods didnt know how to deal drugs or return a page. i mean common they aint that stupid ih the hood. SO it was a bit funny (guilty pleasure) Knowing that these are all studio gangstas.

This is the most realistic film you will ever see about street gangs.

[Lynn723 · 9/10 · 12 July 1999]

This film shows the true nature, and harsh reality of life in gangs. It takes you step by step through aspects, opinions, and facts. Never before has a film portrayed the truth as this one has. If you have ever been in a gang you know exactly how on point this film is. If you have never known the life of gang members this will teach you. You will never see such raw emotions as in this film. I suggest that if you have not seen this film see it today!

A Boring and Predictable Narrative Story From A Woman's View

[Ed-Shullivan · 3/10 · 11 September 2013]

I was very disappointed with this movie. Based on the summary outline, I thought I would see somewhat of a gangsta story with some plot and redeeming features. Unfortunately all this movie provided me was a very slow moving story of various machismo gangsta's being shot off one by one and then the scene would shift and we would be left watching another one of the gangsta's funerals.

There was a memorium at the end of the movie so I assume the story may be (loosely) based on a real life person(s) but the story telling that was narrated by one of the primary characters was very boring and the acting below par.

Look for bit parts from actors Salma Hayek and Danny Trejo before they were well known stars with a list of movie credits behind them. As for the main stars in this film, just like some of the gangsta's in this movie who were killed off, I guess their portrayal of a mob girl was just a bit too (un)real and so their movie careers died. Go figure.

Most realistic film that will ever be made about Echo Park

[RobSac · 8/10 · 6 July 2009]

As Echo Park becomes a gentrified suburb, you'll see more and more movies reflecting the middle class hipster culture that's taking over the neighborhood. Mi Vida Loca is the best glimpse a lay person will ever get into the pre-gentrification Echo Park.

This is Los Angeles, shortly after the Rodney King riots. Mousie (Seidy Lopez, "Resurrection Blvd") and Sad Girl (Angel Aviles, "Desperado"), two lifelong friends, and members of the Echo Parque Locas gang, each have a kid by the same guy, drug dealer and Echo Parque gang member Ernesto (Jacob Vargas, "Selena", "Road Dogz").

A death in their tight knit circle changes everything, including many preexisting grudges. But a real wild card gets thrown into their hand when a homegirl, "Giggles" (Marlo Marron, "My Funny Valentine"), is released from prison, and tries to steer the homegirls away from the street life, and into a life in "COMPUUUUTERS!!!". Her very astute warning of what the future will be like, likely learned while reading in prison, falls on deaf ears, but her independent, entrepreneurial spirit does not, as she leads the homegirls through a plan to get the best out of a pickup truck in which the ownership thereof is in dispute, not only within the Echo Park gang, but also with a member of the rival River Valley gang, El Duran (Jesse Borrego, "Bound By Honor: Blood In Blood Out").

A correspondence between a beautiful yet reclusive younger sister of Sad Girl, La Blue Eyes (Magali Alvarado), who's "trip" is getting an education and avoiding the gang life, and a "torcedo" (guest of the California prison system), eventually puts La Blue Eyes front and center of the tragic climax of these intertwining stories.

Main Reason I Hate Cholos!

[harleysbatman · 1/10 · 2 April 2019]

Some people think The Room is the worst movie of all time. Some think it's a movie with Carrot Top or Pauly Shore. No, those movies are harmless. Those movies birthed some laughter. Mi Vida Loca is a stereo-typed, glorified and I would really hope INCORRECT look at one aspect of Latino culture. I say one aspect because, as a Latino, I know alot of other Latinos that are proud of gang life mentality and consider it to be the defining aspect of our lineage. It's not. It's more like an elective. You, me or nobody has to join a gang and ruin their life. We have music, clothes, art, history, medication, science---so many things going for us---and yet, the one thing some seem to protect and hold highest is being a firme vato! I would never be proud to be a killer. I would never be proud to hold this delusion of representing my city or my home, by completely making it ugly, dangerous and feared...

But I digress...

I don't have one positive praise for this movie. There's not any one outstanding character. There's not one great scene. There's not one great piece of acting. It's all just a bunch of stupid characters, saying, doing or thinking stupid things. No one even has their own mind in this movie. "I'm like a gang member so I gotta do what the streets tell me to do, even if I know it's wrong, cause then all the other gang members will hate me, eh!". Jesus Christ! So the first thing I ever hated this movie for was the opening conflict between Mousey and Sad Girl: They are two best friends, who grew up together, and find out that they are being used and literally screwed by the SAME guy...and their logically thought out answer to this is: "Ah, hell no! That's MY man!". Really? Are people that dumb? There's this other scene, shortly after, when they have their kids by this loser (who gets shot and killed because surprise surprise: that's what happens you join a gang!) and they sort of make up and take them to a park. The kids are playing with eachother and they tell the little boy something like, "You can never have her, mijo! That's like your sister, eh!". Again, Jesus Christ! They're just playing, you morons! They're like 2 and don't even understand the concept of romantic love or sexual intercourse! That line/seriously pissed me off. They have one character in this whole movie that tries to be positive and steer all the other gang members in the right way...and she is laughed off. She tells them about the future and computers and how they can make their life mean something! They can get a job and go to college! They don't have to obey the streets or gang life! But no, they just laugh her off and then one of their kids gets shot, accidentally, in a drive by. Should of went to computer class, huh?

I'm sorry but (censored) this movie! Again, I'm Latino and I have and know a bunch of cousins and others that glorify this crap and live by this movie like their life depends on it. This movie just makes us all look bad and stupid and most of all: dangerous! And we are not...

1 Star for that whole McDonald's/Burger King bit!

About these two girls who were best friends since child hood years.

[Luvme36us · 16 July 2001]

My name is Jacquelin. I'm 17 years old, and currently attending Arts of living. Which's an alternative school for pregnant women and new moms. I have a 5 month old baby boy name Tali. I'm ambitious, determined and out going.

The movie Mi Vida Loca is about a girl-gang in Echo Park, and basically it shows you the reality of gangs now a days. It shows you what these young teens face. From being a teen mom, a drug dealer etc..

I really enjoyed this movie a lot. I can actually relate to this movie because I'm a teen mom. I use to hang with gang- bangers, but having a baby can really change someone. I recommend this movie to every teen that's in a gang or hangs out with gang-bangers. So they can see how dumb they look for one, and for two so they can realize what they're risking. This movie has a great lesson behind it. Which's be careful what you do because What goes around comes around.

Horrible movie

[bozlopez · 4/10 · 15 April 2022]

I grew up in the hood. Was around this growing up. Some of this was true but was overboard in the movie.

Not sure how many people on IMDB grew up in the bad areas of L. A., but the ones that did will tell you this movie is overboard with cliches.

This director gets an A for effort but it was obvious from the start that it was a non-Hispanic person behind the lens.

Acting, script, and soundtrack were horrible. It needed better actors (obviously, but the music did not fit the movie and the lines were forced. I was expecting to hear even more cholo cliches like "I know, huh", "chale", "sereno, moreno", and "kick it, cricket".

As for the names. Everyone one that grew up in the hood would know that La Blue Eyes would have been called "Gata" or "Azul".

Hilarious

[ninjambee33 · 10/10 · 13 September 2018]

Every time I watch this I die laughing. It's the B movie of gangster movies. None of this movie had much to do with the car they said it had something to do with, but great movie nonetheless. There are so many quotes that arent on here and it's sad because I quote them quite often. Such as: They come to me with their wet eyes. I had a bad day, I had a bad week, I'm stressed! -Ernesto speaking on druggies. This quote goes on and gets even more funny, however I cant remember word for word. Watch it, it's hilarious. Mousie talks about picking up dudes in suavecito with sad girl. Sad girl tells mousie when bumping into her at the park before they fight, (grabbing the wrist of mousies hand with comb in it) what are u gonna do with this, comb my hair!? So great!! All these and more gems should be in quotes. Anyhow, great watch, so check it out!

A Terrible film filled with stereotypes galore.

[Captain_Couth · 5/10 · 26 November 2006]

Mi Vida Loca (1993) was another film released during the brief Latino film craze in Hollywood during the early 90's. The stories were not that entertaining on one hand, but if you're into overacted schlock then you'll have a field day with this film. I have grown up around these type of people. Some of the things in this film are a bit authentic but for the most part it's filled with glaring stereotypes and flat out bad acting. But I am so hating on Jesse Borrego's character El Duran (he's a very underrated actor in my humble opinion). El Duran rolls around in a bad ride, dresses like a pimp and has a hot Salma Hayek riding shotgun. Is this movie worth watching. No, but if you like cheesy films like Blood in Blood Out.., you'll enjoy this flick. Mousey was real cute, very feminine unlike most of the cast. Cheers.

Not recommended.

D

We need more films like this one!

[kenandraf · 10/10 · 26 April 2001]

This is the kind of movie that must be made much much more often.Movies are a great tool for EDUCATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT.The truth is entertaining and this film is proof of that.The truths that spring forth fro this film can definitely be used by any reasonable MATURE viewer as a guide through the realities of life's journeys.The budget was not the multi million dollar kind but still achieves a high level enough to be one of the 100 best dramas of all time in my book!Not for immature people and definitely not for conservatives to enjoy.....

A movie about gangs and drugs.

[tnajah · 16 July 2001]

I am a high school student at Arts Of Living School. I liked this movie. It was about gangs,drugs,guns and murder. two girls named mousie and sad girl were best friends, until they let a boy break up their relationship. Once they realized that their relationship was more important than a boy, they were best friends again. this movie was worth watching,and I liked it.

A unique look at the inner structure of L.A. gangs

[gipz · 8/10 · 12 August 2001]

"Mi Vida Loca" is a film showing what it's like to grow up in a gang; but its uniqueness is that the story is told from the female viewpoint ~ what it is like to grow up as a homegirl is very different from what it is like to belong to a gang as a male.

Girlz N the Hood

[lee_eisenberg · 9/10 · 25 February 2024]

While we could be cynical and say that the '90s gave us a glut of growing-up-in-the-hood movies, I still recommend Allison Anders's "Mi vida loca". This look at a group of cholas in LA's rough Echo Park is one of the most hard-hitting movies out there. The protagonists are a pair of girls who were friends until they both got pregnant from the same man. Other nasty stuff follows.

Part of the movie's strength is from the casting of mostly non-professional actors in the roles. There were only a handful of recognizable names in the cast. What it adds up to is a gritty look at life in this tough barrio, and what the people have to do to survive (which is never a guarantee). Some of the scenes truly shocked me. A fine example of '90s arthouse cinema.

Oh, and the recognizable names? There was Danny Trejo, Salma Hayek, Jason Lee, Nicole Holofcener (another arthouse director), Spike Jonze (director of "Being John Malkovich" and "Adaptation") and rock band Los Lobos.