La Bamba (1987) Parents Guide: Is the movie OK for kids?

A few scenes contain sexual references and mild nudity. In an early scene, a boy spies on women in the shower and the side of a breast is briefly visible. Teen romance includes kissing, and one scene implies premarital sex between a couple (clothed, post-coital) who discuss her being a virgin. The film's most disturbing content is a scene where a male character kicks down a door and it is strongly implied he sexually assaults his girlfriend off-screen; this is referenced later in crude dialogue. A visit to a…

Violence is mostly related to fights and intense emotional conflict. Ritchie has recurring nightmares of a mid-air plane collision that killed his friend; these scenes are loud and intense but not gory, showing debris falling and a victim's foot under wreckage. The main source of violence is Ritchie's brother, Bob, who instigates a large brawl at a party and later gets into a fistfight with Ritchie. The most intense violence is domestic: a drunken Bob kicks down a door, throws a bottle through a window, and…

The film contains moderate language for its PG-13 rating. There are two uses of "f--k", both spoken by the character Bob in anger. Other profanity includes uses of "shit," "ass," "bitch," and "bastard." Religious exclamations such as "goddamn" and "Jesus Christ" are used frequently throughout the film.

Substance abuse is a central theme. Ritchie's brother Bob is an alcoholic, and his heavy, consistent drinking is a primary driver of the plot's conflict, leading to his violent and erratic behavior. Characters are frequently shown drinking beer and hard liquor in social settings and to excess. In one scene, Ritchie is given a shot of vodka to calm his nerves before a flight. Characters smoke cigarettes throughout the film, and a scene in Tijuana implies marijuana use.

The film is built around heavy themes of premature death and the accompanying grief, as the narrative leads to Ritchie's death in a plane crash. His aviophobia, stemming from a childhood trauma of witnessing a death, is a recurring motif. The film unflinchingly portrays the devastating effects of alcoholism and domestic abuse through the character of Bob. Sibling rivalry, jealousy, and racial prejudice (Ritchie's relationship is opposed by his girlfriend's father because he is Hispanic) are also significant themes.