Written and directed by Attila Korosi, who also stars in the film, after an E.R. doctor treats an injured boy, he is pulled into the world of gangs and street violence in the underbelly of Los Angeles. Starring: Robert LaSardo, Richard Cabral, Cesar Garcia, Anita Korosi, Ishaan Bahri, Lee Coc, Michael Flores, Corina Calderon, Humphrey Oloo, Eric Arizmendi, Joey Abril, Angel Hovey, Daniel Hovey and Lazar Kis.
More often than not crime thrillers about gangs and street violence are built to make easy entertainment out of that very real violence. They’re rarely ever about the actual characters or true to life experiences, simply projecting guns, blood and rage onto the screen for the adrenaline, grit and shock value. With Live and Die in East L.A. Attila Korosi attempts to do things differently, and shift the focus back to the characters, and to the rippling consequences and pain of living in that life.
Korosi’s writing tries to pair that quintessential grit of living in a world filled with crime, with a wholesome tale about making the right choices. The way that Live and Die in East L.A. moves is built to show audiences the butterfly effect of sorts of the characters’ choices and how they impact their lives, as well as their families’. Purposely highlighting that you have control, you can make a different choice for a better future, and also how quickly things can escalate when you make the wrong choice.
It’s an original concept and a sincere challenge to try and marry those themes, to capture the grit but also keep hold of a family-driven perspective. It doesn’t always work, it’s an extremely tricky combination to get the balance right. It’s stronger in its later scenes, earlier on it struggles to get into a flow. Progression is something which is rather hit and miss with Live and Die in East L.A., the interlinking of the stories works best in the latter half, earlier on it can feel somewhat disconnected.
The use of animation to bring through a fable style note to Live and Die in East L.A. also makes getting that balance right even harder. It creates a vast contrast between the realism and the family-driven layers of the film, which are decidedly hard to reconcile and don’t quite come together here. Outside of that, Korosi’s directorial style keeps things simple and scaled back. Adding in plenty of movement to make it feel in the moment and capture how things can spiral out of control at any moment, without getting too carried away as to make it feel rushed.
You could say similar about the performances, using a mix of known faces with non-professional actors creates an interesting tone. It brings things down to a more earnest level, attempting to thread in some emotion and move away from simple anger and threat. There is still plenty of both of course, but they don’t overrun Live and Die in East L.A. and let it remain down to earth. It’s also a great fit with its overall aim of trying to set an example, to show that there is a path out for those finding themselves caught up in a life of crime at a young age.
Live and Die in East L.A. takes the classic concept of a gang-driven thriller and tries to turn it into tale of family, choices and consequences. It’s a valiant effort to ground the story, to send a positive message while capturing the devastating violence. However, the filmmakers did set themselves a genuinely difficult challenge to mix the softer tones with such a gritty setting, and the balance doesn’t quite find its footing. It’s an interesting idea and certainly comes from a place with a lot of heart and love for the community of LA.
