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Plot

Edward J. Olmos made his directorial bow with the powerhouse crime saga American Me. Olmos stars as street-gang leader Santana, who during his 18 years in Folsom Prison rules over all the drug-and-murder activities behind bars. Upon his release, Santana goes back to his old neighborhood, intending to lead a peaceful, crime-free life. But his old gang buddies force him back into his old habits. The omniprescene of the "Mexican Mafia" in the southwest is sufficient to make this film a daunting, demoralizing experience. Upon its release, American Me received a lot of press play due to the fact that Olmos shot his Folsom sequences on location, using actual prisoners as extras and bit players.
MPAA Rating:
R
Genre(s):
Action
Run Time:
119min.
Theatrical Release Date:
02/26/1992
DVD Release Date:
01/07/2003
Distributor(s):
Universal
Director(s):
Themes:
Going Straight
Tone:
Confrontational,Disturbing,Forceful,Gritty,Harsh,Tense
Keywords:
ambition,bad-guy-turns-good,gangster,going-straight,killing,love,one-against-odds,prison,rampage,romance,self-discovery
Country of Origin:
USA (03-13-1992)
Language:
English