If you liked the movie "South Central" you may like this one
DJ Kryptik | the desert | 02/24/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"East L.A. King is basically the Latino version of another movie called "South Central". Where in "South Central" it had to do w/ Crips, "East L.A. King" doesn't say what gang the ppl in it are from, but they're something...
The brief sum of this movie is the main character Jose, who is the 'king', and his underboss, whose name i can't remember, so let's call him Loco.
Jose tells his pregnant girlfriend, that this is the last deal he's gonna do, meaning a drug deal. but when the drug deal goes bad, jose gets shot (but not killed). Jose gets arrested, and his partner Loco who was w/ him on that deal, escapes (like the busta he is) w/ the loot and the drugs.
Now Loco is the new ghetto star while Jose is in jail. Jose rehabs in jail and stops banging. The girlfriend gets kicked out of her house by her jackass of a stepfather who likes to beat on her mother whenever he wants. The girlfriend has nowhere to live and lives in jose's house but has to pay rent on it... girlfriend has no job, so loco gives her some money. eventually girlfriend gets kicked out of house, jose loses his house. girlfriend works for loco as drug dealer/waitress, and gets hooked on drugs (becomes a sherm head basically). There's more that happens to her, but i won't ruin the ending for you on that story.
Jose's son, Shepito has now become Loco's right hand man, as young as he is, he's about 10 or 11 yrs old... When Jose gets out, he just wants to be w/ his son, but he has to try and help his son out by telling him/showing him how bad banging is...
Eventually, an event happens b/t Jose, Shepito, Loco, and all the lil hood gangsters... and it's in that moment that you find out who the real 'East L.A. King' really is...
A good movie for entertainment, but i think South Central was better, just more gangster...
"
Uplifting
A. Vasquez | 04/24/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I bought this movie just for the sake of checking out an independent movie and I must say I was quite suprised at how it caught me. Not many movies exist that show the positive roles we can aspire to be as Latinos in this world. Among all of the stereotypes portrayed in the movie, we see aspiring Doctors and people working hard to make a better life for themselves. The actors may not be well known, but I guarentee by the end of the movie the message will be loud and clear. I especially recommend this movie for leadership retreats and cultural organizations looking to show how one can truely uplift themselves despite the impossible odds."