Down For Life Takes (Another) Look At Latina Gangs
16 September 2009, 12:22 PM. By Alex Alvarez
Fact: There cannot possibly be a U.S. film about Latinas unless it’s about 1) being a domestic (maid, nanny, blogger, etc.), 2) food / the having of curves and the realness that stems from this, 3) being in a gang or 4) being pregnant. Down for Life is about the third thing and, as with that seminal film about Latinas fucking people’s shit up - Mi Vida Loca - it is written and directed by someone who isn’t Latina. Although Down for Life’s (clever name) creator, director Alan Jacobs, did make sure to bring on a Latina co-writer, Trina Calderon, and consult with former gang members on how to write and present these characters.
The story, according to Jacobs, was inspired by a New York Times article about a 15-year-old gang member. Explains Jacobs:
I read and article in the New York Times about a 15-year-old girl in South Central who was running a Latina girl gang. My oldests son was the same age at the time, going to school only about 15 miles away – but it seemed like two different countries. I bought the rights to the girl’s story and the New York Times article and found a Latina writer to work with me on the story, because it was immediately clear this girl wasn’t going to tell me anything (though today we talk all the time!).
Down for Life follows one day in the life of Rascal, a member of a girl gang who wants to leave this life of violence and, with the encouragement of the One Teacher Who Believes in Her (played by Danny Glover), go on to pursue writing at the University of Iowa.
The movie stars Jessica Romero in the role of Rascal, with Kate del Castillo as her mother - herself a former gang member - and Elizabeth Peña (aka Sonia Sotomayor). Check out the trailer:
So: Yay for roles for Latinas! But we always greet movies like these with mixed feelings. While it’s true that the lives and struggles of young Latinas (and Latinos) caught up in gang violence make for interesting and engaging stories, we can’t help but wonder about what public reaction to getting yet another look at Latino gang bangers might be. Does it, despite the actual story and content of the film, reinforce unsavory stereotypes about Latinos being brutal, gritty, territorial and violent? Will it help people to understand a certain segment of the population better, or will they continue to conflate one image of Latinos in America with the Latino experience in general?
Our suspicion is that this is the image of Latinos people want to see, and that, perhaps, a movie that takes a look at rural (even - gasp! - non-immigrant) Latinos making do, rich Latinos living in penthouses or middle-class Latinos families living in the suburbs - dealing with work and family issues and goals and other mundane drama - would not sit well with a mainstream, non-Latino public because it messes with the perception of what we’re like and what our place in society (namely, leeching off it) might be. Maybe this is incredibly cynical on our part, but it seems that if a story isn’t about gangs or sexy mamis and papis oohing and ahing over spicy food, it isn’t seen as worth telling. And that’s a shame. We’re pretty interesting to get to know, should publishing houses, movie studios and TV networks ever take a gamble on the next George Lopez or ¿Que Pasa, USA? But, hey, if not, we’ll keep keeping on all on our own. Eventually we’ll see more diverse depictions of Latinos in entertainment. It’s just a matter of when.
In the meantime, who’s psyched to see Down for Life and a tattooed Kate del Castillo?
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I’m down. Mi Vida Loca was where I saw Salma for the first time, so maybe this one will birth out some new big breastesses.
Yes, but are you down for life, homeboy?
Simon ese, or esa…whatever they say
From the looks of the trailer, it seems that the big breastesses here are accompanies by big chins and big bellies.
*accompanied. Ugh.
i interviewed allison anders when she was doing press for Mi Vida Loca and, even though she wasn’t Latina, she was very committed to bringing a faithful representation of what was going on around her. she was one of the first non-hispatinos to move into echo park at the time and was fascinated by what was going on around her. she even adopted a kid who whose mother had gone to jail for gang banging.
on a side note: couldn’t we get some of these girls on Biggest Loser?
atleast the producer is “hispanic”. (mexican to be exact)
i can’t wait to see it, regardless of it possibly depicting stereotypical views of Latinas, it has a REAL vibe to it…it’s down to earth…it’s how LIFE really was back then for young girls in those shoes.
Back then?
Alex, you are very talented yet always maintain a cynical East Coast arrogance. The film is, what it is, given the body politic. I interviewed Producer Frank Aragon, young Latino who will do big things. Robert Rodriguez started in a similar way, with simple material. We say on the West Coast, don’t hate the player, hate the game.
But I am hating the game. And I love you, Al, but this East Coast arrogance is going with me to the grave, I’m afraid.
The Voice by Carlos Morales says “It focuses a bright beam of light on the social issue that has plagued our country for years, yet no one seems to understand why it unfolds before our eyes on the evening news everyday. The acting is real, the story is real, and the action is real. The film answers questions of why? It will motivate many youngsters to re-think about what they are doing in gang life. It is Moving, Motivating and a must see! Some of the scenes on this film are strong, yet these scenes are what make it real, authentic and true to the streets “This is the evolution of “Boys in the Hood” and takes off where that film left off”.
Alex, thank for your review of the film while here in Toronto. Its unfortunate we didnt get the chance to talk about it. Im sorry you missed the message of the movie that change so many lives. I believe wholeheartedly in changing the stereotypical image of Latinos in Hollywood and across the world. One stereotype at a time. One social issue at a time.
Hi Frank! Thanks for responding. I didn’t want to make the assertion that your film contained stereotypes - I hope that’s not how it came across. Rather, I wanted to express my fear that an audience member who maybe wasn’t Latino or hasn’t had a lot of exposure to Latino people or culture might “miss the message” and see this as one in a string of films focusing on a very specific, small segment of the Latino population. We get to see so few choice roles for Latinos in film and the small amount we do get, no matter how well-written or nuanced, seem to tell the same handful of stories. That’s not to say the stories aren’t worth telling, of course.
I’m gladdened that you’re committed to breaking stereotypes and focusing your lens on complicated social issues and I hope that you chime in on Guanabee every now and then. (btw: I’m adding Nina Takes a Lover to my queue.)
I think I’m allergic to these types of movies. A story featuring ostensibly uneducated, down-and-out, ghetto-dwelling, overweight, belligerent, brown lipliner-wearing, brown-skinned mexican-american teenage girls in the west coast joining gangs and being all oppressed? What an unique, earth-shattering, stereotype-busting film. I wonder if Edward James Olmos and Elizabeth Pena make cameos?
Oh wait, E. Pena is in it, of course! Nevermind.