Plot: (from imdb.com) Based on the true life
experiences of poet Jimmy Santiago Baca, the film focuses on half-brothers Paco
and Cruz, and their bi-racial cousin Miklo. It opens in 1972, as the three are
members of an East L.A. gang known as the "Vatos Locos", and the
story focuses on how a violent crime and the influence of narcotics alter their
lives. Miklo is incarcerated and sent to San Quentin, where he makes a
"home" for himself. Cruz becomes an exceptional artist, but a heroin addiction
overcomes him with tragic results. Paco becomes a cop and an enemy to his
"carnal", Miklo.
Review: The early 90s were filled with movies about
gangs, such as Boyz N the Hood and Menace II Society. Blood In, Blood Out shares some qualities with those movies but is
also different. It starts off showing the life of a young Latino gang in Los
Angeles, but over time the movie changes. It evolves into telling the story of
how 3 relatives grow up over the next decade. Some keep up the life of crime
and others change their ways. The 3 main characters, Miklo, Paco and Cruz, all
have unique and intersecting story arcs.
What
we get is 3 different movies. Miklo’s story becomes a prison story where we get
to see his rise through the ranks of a new gang. It is probably the story that
the movie is most focused on and has the most screen time. It builds up to a
crazy final act where all hell breaks loose. Cruz becomes a drug addict and we
see his struggle to get clean and to reconnect with his family. Finally, Paco
becomes one of the “enemy”, a police officer. He is torn between his former
life and what he is now. In the end there are 3 different perspectives on life
at the time. The performances are all well done and there are some touching
moments. I could do without some of the overly Latino stuff (In reality, I
doubt every second word people say is “esse” or “homes”). It sounds more like
what someone thinks these characters should sound like, not how they actually
do.
Score: 7.5/10
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