Cheech wrote, directed, and starred, so stack this with Chong's solo resume ("Far Out Man" !?)and you see who was the true talent.
Some have passed this film off as second-rate 80s fluff, but they're missing a lot. East LA is, upon second look, a timely take on the overreactive Reagan-era round-'em-up, ask-no-questions immigration policy, in which many legal residents and citizens were actually deported. Plus, Cheech's character grows from initially fawning over a French woman in the opening scene and living a typical apathetic American life to falling in love with a Mexican woman and helping others in their quest to work in the U.S.
And it's funny..."Whas happenING!" "I like your pants" "Get behind me, Satan!"
Some have passed this film off as second-rate 80s fluff, but they're missing a lot. East LA is, upon second look, a timely take on the overreactive Reagan-era round-'em-up, ask-no-questions immigration policy, in which many legal residents and citizens were actually deported. Plus, Cheech's character grows from initially fawning over a French woman in the opening scene and living a typical apathetic American life to falling in love with a Mexican woman and helping others in their quest to work in the U.S.
And it's funny..."Whas happenING!" "I like your pants" "Get behind me, Satan!"