It was great seeing this on the big screen again. The older I get, the more I realize how young Ritchie really was when he became a star and then tragically died. The film captures the Southern California Latino feel.

Theater had a technical issue and we didn’t get to see the movie. So disappointed

Excellent and entertaining movie. Not only explores the very short career of a talented artist but also the times and places in which he grew up. Thought provoking and inspires discussion of the different aspects affecting this young man's life and music.

Saw it on video back in the day. Great to see it on the big screen. Love the re-releases.

This is a good small movie, sweet and sentimental, about a kid who never really got a chance to show his stuff. The best things in it are the most unexpected things: the portraits of everyday life, of a loving mother, of a brother who loves and resents him, of a kid growing up and tasting fame and leaving everyone standing around at his funeral shocked that his life ended just as it seemed to be beginning.

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

A dedicatory, sometimes sombre recreation of the career of 50s teen-throb Richie Valens, which feels like a personal project by director Luis Valdez.

William Thomas

Empire

A film like this is quite naturally a showcase for its star, and as Valens, Lou Diamond Phillips has a sweetness and sincerity that in no way diminish the toughness of his onstage persona.

Janet Maslin

The New York Times