‘La Bamba’
Music, love, family, and societal issues all infuse La Bamba, the 1987 drama that became a surprise hit (to say nothing of the film’s ubiquitous-that-summer soundtrack). Lou Diamond Phillips, in his first well known role, portrays 1950s teenage pop star Ritchie Valens, a Mexican American singer/guitarist who had hits with “Donna,” “Come On, Let’s Go,” and, most famously, “La Bamba,” before losing his life in a plane crash that also robbed the world of Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. Driven by a musical and youthful spirit, La Bamba is sweet, energetic, and touching.