La Bamba (1987): cast, story & where to watch
1987 · Film · ★ 7.2
Released in 1987, La Bamba is a drama and music film directed by Luis Valdez, running about 108 minutes. “Born into poverty. Destined for stardom. He lived the American dream.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. 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.
Who’s in it. La Bamba stars Lou Diamond Phillips as Ritchie Valens, Danielle von Zerneck as Donna Ludwig, Elizabeth Peña as Rosie Morales and Rosanna DeSoto as Connie Valenzuela, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.2/10, La Bamba has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $54.2M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Netflix and Netflix Standard with Ads and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch La Bamba page.
If you liked it. Fans of La Bamba tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch La Bamba (1987)?
- In US, La Bamba is available to stream on Netflix and Netflix Standard with Ads, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is La Bamba worth watching?
- La Bamba holds an audience score of 7.2 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and music. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in La Bamba?
- La Bamba stars Lou Diamond Phillips, Danielle von Zerneck, Elizabeth Peña, Rosanna DeSoto and Esai Morales.
- When was La Bamba released?
- La Bamba was released in 1987, with a runtime of about 108 minutes.