Monday Morning Maybe

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Poster for La Bamba

La Bamba

Seen it?

1987 | 108 min | Drama, Music

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

It earned strong reviews (82% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences rate it highly (7.3 out of 10) and it made about 8 times its budget. A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. If you loved Elvis or Almost Famous, start here.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 48 min.
What might put you off
Rated PG-13. Probably too much for younger kids.

Los Angeles teenager Ritchie Valens becomes an overnight rock 'n' roll success in 1958, thanks to a love ballad called "Donna" that he wrote for his girlfriend. But as his star rises, Valens has conflicts with his jealous brother, Bob, and becomes haunted by a recurring nightmare of a plane crash just as he begins his first national tour alongside Buddy Holly.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsStrong

    82% on Rotten Tomatoes, 65 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesStrong

    7.3 out of 10

  • AwardsWeak

    0 wins and 1 nomination from smaller awards and festivals

  • Box office & staying powerStrong

    $54 million worldwide on a $7 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 317K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Luis Valdez

  • Lou Diamond PhillipsRitchie Valens
  • Danielle von ZerneckDonna Ludwig
  • Elizabeth PeñaRosie Morales
  • Rosanna DeSotoConnie Valenzuela
  • Esai MoralesBob Morales
  • Joe PantolianoBob Keane
  • Marshall CrenshawBuddy Holly
  • Brian SetzerEddie Cochran
  • Daniel ValdezLelo
  • Howard HuntsberryJackie Wilson