So, everyone's watched La Bamba, right? ...RIGHT??
So we all remember the movie: Ritchie Valens (played brilliantly by Lou Diamond Phillips) is a poor teenage kid from the San Fernando Valley, AKA "the barrio." He lives with his mom, Connie (Rosana de Soto), and his older brother, Bob (Esai Morales).
Let's fast forward to the end: Ritchie has just had a concert with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. It's a cold, snowy night and the heater on their tour bus is broken. Luckily, Holly has access to a private plane. But, it can only carry three people.
So, Holly leaves it to a coin toss to see who's going on the warm plane and who's riding on the cold, heater-less bus. Ritchie wins the coin toss.
And so, Ritchie gets on the plane with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper and the three take off into the snowy night.
We go back to the San Fernando Valley where Connie is doing laundry and Bob is working on his car. A news bulletin comes on air, announcing the deaths of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper...and Ritchie Valens.
Bob rushes to Connie, but by the time he arrives, she's already heard the news: Her son is dead.
At this moment, "Sleepwalker" by Johnny and Santo comes on. A song so sad, you can feel the music cut right through your heart.
We see cars heading into the San Fernando mission cemetery.
And then we see a stoic Bob, walking on an old, decrepit bridge.
And as the song comes to an end with its painfully heartbreaking high-pitched guitar note...
...Bob lets out a scream that sends chills down your spine, and shakes you to your very core.
And the film ends with a shot of Bob and Ritchie, gleefully running together up a hill.
By this time, if you're not in tears and slobbering all over yourself, either your heart is a rock or you're simply not human. THANKFULLY, the film's end credits include footage of Ritchie playing "La Bamba," so the film doesn't end on such a downer.
But if you plan on rewatching this movie, always remember to have a box of tissues handy, because there's no way you're getting through this movie without a teardrop. :(
