'American Pachuco: The Legend Of Luis Valdez' Review

The father of Chicano theater gets the biographical documentary treatment with narration from Edward James Olmos in character as "El Pachuco."

I love a unique and creatively done narration. Edward James Olmos lends his voice to this documentary in character as “El Pachuco,” reprising his breakout stage role from Luis Valdez’s 1979 play Zoot Suit. The idea is perfectly executed, fitting the film’s tone and elevating it above the usual biographical fare. For those wanting the conventional elements, too, it’s otherwise a mix of archival footage and talking heads (including Olmos as himself) celebrating its subject.

American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez profiles the titular playwright and filmmaker, best known to mainstream audiences for writing and directing La Bamba. In a centerpiece interview, Valdez tells most of his own story and explains the meaning of much of his work. Olmos’s “Pachuco” provides more historical and cultural context, such as the origin of the term “Chicano” and the background of the Zoot Suit Riots. And he does so in a way that gives the documentary a distinct attitude.

As a kid, I went to see La Bamba a few times, helping make it a hit without any awareness of how difficult it was to get made or the importance of its success. I came away with a greater appreciation for the movie beyond being your average music biopic, both for how personal it was for Valdez and for its depiction of the divide between cultural identity and assimilation. The documentary also delivers some much-needed education on the Chicano Civil Rights Movement and Chicano theater.