Edward James Olmos both directs and stars in American Me with a mostly Latino cast which depicts a Chicano life influenced both by circumstances and bad choices. The story with a prologue depicting his parents during the Zoot suit riots during World War II right up to almost the present time. Olmos plays a gang leader and we see his rise and fall in the criminal profession which starts with an arrest as a juvenile.

It's a stoic and intense portrayal that Olmos gives to his own direction. Olmos did his own research for the part, but more than that he lived it being born and growing up in the Mexican American area of East Los Angeles.

In the story Olmos and his two running buddies, William Forsythe and Pepe Serna while in prison found a Mexican American gang, La Primavera and in prison they pretty much are the Latino inmate population. As they gradually finish their sentences and are released the gang takes it shape and control of various rackets in the Barrio. Of course they also have to deal with other gangs, black gangs, Aryan Brotherhood, and some rival Chicano crews. That last sets in motion the downfall of Olmos.

The story is narrated in flashback by Olmos writing a letter to his younger brother while he's back in prison. It's a mournful plea for the kid not to make the same choices he did. American Me is a very good film, the personal project of a very talented man.

Montoya Santana (Edward James Olmos) is in prison as he recalls his life. His parents were zoot-suiters beaten by regular society. Her mother is raped by soldiers and Montoya is 16 years old 16 years later. He starts a gang with his friends J.D. and Mundo. During a break-in, J.D. is shot and the guys are thrown into juvenile hall. Santana kills his rapists on the first night. It earns him lots of respect and also a stay in Folsom State Prison once he turns 18. In Folsom, Santana (now played by Olmos),J.D. (William Forsythe) and Mundo (Pepe Serna) have a powerful gang called La Eme. They are ruthless. They use their power inside the prisons to leverage expansion once they are on the outside. Santana eventually has a change of heart.

There is a nice sense of realism. It helps that the movie is inspired by some real people. It's not glossy. It doesn't glamorize the thug life but it's also not that gritty. Olmos has a quiet demeanor which does take away some of the energy. This is not some fun gangster movie or necessarily a scary prison movie. Edward James Olmos as a director is relying more on a simplistic style. He doesn't have the skills to make this cinematic. It feels sincere. It feels familiar.

This pure masterpiece is for me one of the most powerful gangs in prison film ever made, the most brutal, dark, gritty, bloody but also poignant, on the same scale as any Marty Scorcese's gangster biopic feature. You have here the same DNA. It is a tragedy in the pure Shakespeare manner, especially in the end. See the title of this comment. Acting, editing, writing, everything here is unforgettable, outstanding. You can easily watch this in the line of the Netflix series about Narcos, you won't be deceived, no differences in the quality of both materials.