Living the Life

Being a middle-aged Hispanic male, I am probably not the intended audience of this film, based on a popular young adult book, but I watched it anyway and was surprised how engaging it was until the twist in the middle of the movie and then it kind of dwindled after that. It seemed the main character waffled back and forth about her true feelings. Perhaps she was confused about her future but I don't think the lead actress was good enough for the audience to feel sympathetic towards her dilemma. I guess being at an age where I could be the characters' father, I was amazed at the lack of Latino men in positive role models. For the two main characters, there was no father, uncle, cousin, no man who espoused constructive ideas. Instead, we get gangbangers who abuse their own women. Okay, maybe that's the way it is in this society but in order to have drama, you need conflict between competing ideas. None of that was shown which shows the difference between this film and the mid-90s Allison Anders' film, 'Mi Vida Loca' with its similar theme.

I watched this movie strictly because of Jay Hernandez and wished I had the hour and a half of my life back. Jay is only in the movie a short time and hardly recognizable with the goatee they have him wearing. The entire plot of the movie is dumb, and unrealistic. I think that someone envisioned this movie as being a "Boyz in the Hood" or "Menace 2 Society" for girls but it doesn't even come close. The silly subplot about the dance routines only wastes more time and serves no purpose. If you're looking for a female coming of age story check out "Thirteen", a Jay Hernandez is hot movie "crazy/beautiful", a gangster movie, "Boyz in the Hood" even if you've already seen them before I promise you're better off than watching this clunker of a film.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie; it was accurate to "La Vida Loca" the crazy life that street gangs live in East LA, and was predictably tragic. At first glance I felt that actor Jay Hernandez (Kikicho) would have been better suited for the role of the 9th Street Gang leader Pocho played by actor Abel Soto; however Soto did such a great job in the part I ended up changing my mind. The plot centers around the wild street life of two girls, (Kata) Katrina Gibson & Anna, who seem to be courting trouble throughout the movie. They are supposedly affiliated and tight with the 9th Street gang, but they rarely are found in the company of the gang and frequently say and do things to tick off many of the gang members, most notably the gangs leader Pocho (Soto.) This was the only point that didn't follow logic at times, although it is explained in part by the girls attachments to the gangs leaders; Pocho wants Anna & Kikicho is after Kata. The acting in this movie was excellent; especially by Soto, Hernandez, and Gibson in that order. The funeral scene in the church was unbelievable as the gang poses for photos around the coffin of one of its fallen members (I won't spoil it as to who this ends up being.) This scene was saying so many things at the same time, and should be watched 2,3, perhaps 4 times to take in everything that is happening. I give it 9 stars out of 10.

this is the type of movie for hugging up on the couch with you best friend or you group of friends and just kicking back to enjoy together its a beginning to end movie that leaves you feeling just the way the Kata must feel and feeling all the way through the victories and losses the girls go through as if they were your own well written well played and the choice of actors was head on like they were made for the roles they play so mt over all review is excellent... my favorite character is Kikicho (Jay Hernandez) he is the exact way i would depict my own best friend. so grab some munchies and a couple sodas and curl up for a great movie and a sure timeless classic in my own opinion and i cant wait to see it again definitely something i recommend to everyone

this movie was one of the best movies I've seen yet... you people write bad reviews because you don't know what its like to live like the girls in this movie. it has a positive ending but in real life half of these people end up dead... so don't hate because you thing its stupid try being a real gangster and live life how we do before you start with your negative remarks. I'm glad that they make movies that show how people live there lives with out sugarcoating it. and about the dancing...it was either steel or make money some how right?? at least they were not prostituting themselves.well i recommend this movie to any one who wants to see the truth about girls in gangs.