Down for Life (film)
Encyclopedia
Down for Life is a 2010 American dramatic film directed by Alan Jacobs
based on the true story of a 15-year old Latino gang leader in Watts, Los Angeles. The story follows one day in her life as she struggles to break away from her gang. Made in cinéma vérité
style, the film stars many local teens, with veteran actors such as Danny Glover
, Laz Alonso
, Kate del Castillo
, and Snoop Dogg
in supporting roles. Down for Life focuses on the gritty reality of gang life and the racial tension surrounding it. Ultimately, the film’s message is one of hope to those in tough circumstances while shedding light on a pressing social issue.
) to apply for a writing program in Iowa
, Rascal hopes to use the material from her life to write her way out of Watts. The forces around Rascal thrust her into a deadly cycle of violence that seems almost impossible to escape. To leave, she will have to make the dangerous decision to renounce her loyalty to the gang.
Jessica Romero, Andrea Valenzuela, Isamar Guijarro, Sheila Ochoa, and Ilene Trujillo were discovered at local area high schools. Director Alan Jacobs chose local teenagers with no acting experience to maintain the authenticity of the story. Jacobs believed that using real girls familiar with the types of issues depicted in the film would create an honesty to their performances.
when Lesly was four years old. Her father worked nights for a demolition company. Her mother was a housewife, raising Lesly and her two younger siblings. Lesly attended Locke High School
in South Central Los Angeles, where some of the movie was filmed. Having the reputation as one of the city’s lowest performing schools, Locke High School often witnessed “one of the homegirls or homeboys… get shot or killed or just simply put in jail.” In 2001, out of a class of 979, only 322 students graduated. Lesly began skipping school in 8th grade. While Lesly was in the process of repeating the 9th grade, she was required to attend summer school to make up the missing credits and was offered a mercy “D” if she would describe a day in her life.
Lesly has since renounced her gang ties. She currently is enrolled at Los Angeles Southwest College
. In September 2007, Locke High School became a charter school operated by Green Dot Public Schools
.
Despite continued violence at Locke High School, Green Dot Public Schools has subdued hostility, increased parental involvement, and has organized its educational system into six academies.
Alan Jacobs, a New York native, directed Down for Life It was Jacobs's seventh feature film. The film was Produced by Scott Alvarez and Frank Aragon. It was Aragon's sixth feature film. In 2001 Aragon won the Golden Eagle award from Nosotros. The art director, Bernardo Trujillo, won the Sierra Award for Best Art Direction for the feature film Frida
(2002). In 2005, Trujillo’s work on And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself
(2003) resulted in an Emmy nomination and a nomination for Excellence in Production Design by the Art Directors Guild
. The Art Directors Guild also nominated Trujillo for Excellence in Production Design for the Oscar-winner Babel in 2007.
Vito Colapietro composed the music for Down for Life. Previously, he worked on the soundtracks for Barbershop (2002) and Four Brothers (2005). He also was the composer for Just Another Day (2009).
, where it received critical support. The film is slated for a theatrical release in Fall 2010.
Peter Hammond of The Los Angeles Times says, “Speaking of 2010 Oscar contenders... we're wondering where the next Precious is coming from. Distributors should look no further than a 2009 Toronto Fest entry Down for Life… [The cast] is mostly L.A.-based non-actors led by Jessica Romero who could become next award season's Gabourey Sidibe
.”
Reed Johnson, also of The Los Angeles Times says, “The emotional chemistry among...novice performers, in concert with a few seasoned pros such as Danny Glover, Kate del Castillo and Snoop Dogg in secondary roles, is one of the things that makes Down for Life feel more authentic and credible than many of the countless other movies...brings street cred to two of the movie's thorniest topics: urban girl gang bangers, and tensions between L.A. Latinos and African Americans.”
Carlos Morales of The Voice, says, “This film breathes life and resurrects what is happening on the streets of not only South Central but in all major suburbs across this country. It focuses a bright beam of light on the social issue that has plagued our country for years...The acting is real, the story is real, and the action is real...It is moving, motivating and a must see!... It's deserving of a distribution deal ...and as an unofficial entry into next year's Oscar race... It's that good...”
Toronto’s The Globe and Mail
describes the film as a “gritty, wallop-packing Los Angeles-set drama...Unflinching (but not gratuitous) in its depiction of domestic violence and girl-on-girl brutality...Disturbingly frank, the film assaults its viewers, but in a very effective way.”
Erin Oke of Exclaim. CA describes the film as “a brutal and uncompromising look at an environment characterized by poverty and desperation...The script does well capturing the contrast between the shockingly commonplace physical and sexual violence of gang life and the moments of light-hearted girlhood...Lead actress Jessica Romero is a fresh and vivid presence in her film debut as Rascal.”
Newsblaze.com says the film is “a powerful and unflinching look at a world most of us know little about yet it is grounded with a sense of hope that a mainstream audience can relate to: there is a better life out there, if you are willing to fight for it...Riveting, painful and disconcerting in its jagged reality.”
Alan Jacobs
Alan Jacobs is an American film director and screenwriter. He is known for directing Sinbad: Beyond the Veil of Mists for Trimark Pictures, American Gun for Miramax Films and the independent feature Down for Life...
based on the true story of a 15-year old Latino gang leader in Watts, Los Angeles. The story follows one day in her life as she struggles to break away from her gang. Made in cinéma vérité
Cinéma vérité
Cinéma vérité is a style of documentary filmmaking, combining naturalistic techniques with stylized cinematic devices of editing and camerawork, staged set-ups, and the use of the camera to provoke subjects. It is also known for taking a provocative stance toward its topics.There are subtle yet...
style, the film stars many local teens, with veteran actors such as Danny Glover
Danny Glover
Danny Lebern Glover is an American actor, film director, and political activist. Glover is perhaps best known for his role as Detective Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film franchise.-Early life:...
, Laz Alonso
Laz Alonso
Lazaro "Laz" Alonso is an American film and television actor. He is best known for playing Tsu'tey in James Cameron's science fiction film Avatar. He is also well known for his role as Fenix "Rise" Calderon in the film Fast & Furious. Alonso has had roles in other films such as Jarhead, This...
, Kate del Castillo
Kate del Castillo
Kate del Castillo is a leading Mexican film, theater, and television actress.- Early life :Kate Del Castillo is the daughter of Kate Trillo and Eric del Castillo, a legend of the Mexican cinema's golden era and a former soap opera actor himself...
, and Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
in supporting roles. Down for Life focuses on the gritty reality of gang life and the racial tension surrounding it. Ultimately, the film’s message is one of hope to those in tough circumstances while shedding light on a pressing social issue.
Plot
The film spans one day in the life of Anjelica Soto, aka “Rascal” (played by Los Angeles native Jessica Romero), a 15-year old Latino gang leader in Watts, as she struggles to survive. Surrounded by escalating violence and racial tensions, Rascal realizes her days in the gang are numbered. Encouraged by her English teacher (Danny GloverDanny Glover
Danny Lebern Glover is an American actor, film director, and political activist. Glover is perhaps best known for his role as Detective Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film franchise.-Early life:...
) to apply for a writing program in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Rascal hopes to use the material from her life to write her way out of Watts. The forces around Rascal thrust her into a deadly cycle of violence that seems almost impossible to escape. To leave, she will have to make the dangerous decision to renounce her loyalty to the gang.
Cast
- Jessica Romero as Rascal
- Danny GloverDanny GloverDanny Lebern Glover is an American actor, film director, and political activist. Glover is perhaps best known for his role as Detective Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film franchise.-Early life:...
as Mr. Shannon - Elizabeth PeñaElizabeth PeñaElizabeth Peña is an American actress and the daughter of a theater-company co-founder, who has also compiled experience as a television director in her own right.-Early life:...
as Mrs. Castro - Snoop DoggSnoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
as Mr. Hightower - Laz AlonsoLaz AlonsoLazaro "Laz" Alonso is an American film and television actor. He is best known for playing Tsu'tey in James Cameron's science fiction film Avatar. He is also well known for his role as Fenix "Rise" Calderon in the film Fast & Furious. Alonso has had roles in other films such as Jarhead, This...
as Officer Barber - Kate del CastilloKate del CastilloKate del Castillo is a leading Mexican film, theater, and television actress.- Early life :Kate Del Castillo is the daughter of Kate Trillo and Eric del Castillo, a legend of the Mexican cinema's golden era and a former soap opera actor himself...
as Esther - Lil RobLil RobRoberto Flores , best known by his stage name Lil Rob, is a Mexican American rapper, producer, and actor-Biography:...
as Manny - Nicholas GonzalezNicholas GonzalezNicholas Edward Gonzalez is an Mexican-American actor, best known for playing Alex Santiago in the TV series Resurrection Blvd..-Early life:...
as Officer Guttierez - Emily RiosEmily RiosEmily Clara Rios is an American actress and model.Rios, a Mexican American, was born in Los Angeles, California. She was raised as a Jehovah's Witness in the city of El Monte, California. Rios was discovered while shopping in an area shopping mall. She has appeared in the short For Them and...
as Vanessa - Cesar Garcia as Flaco
- Whitney Gamble as Aisha
- Andrea Valenzuela as Babygirl
- Isamar Guijarro as Troubles
- Carlos KnightCarlos KnightCarlos Knight is an American actor. He currently co-stars as Owen Reynolds in the Nickelodeon series Supah Ninjas.-Life and career:...
(extra) (uncredited)
Jessica Romero, Andrea Valenzuela, Isamar Guijarro, Sheila Ochoa, and Ilene Trujillo were discovered at local area high schools. Director Alan Jacobs chose local teenagers with no acting experience to maintain the authenticity of the story. Jacobs believed that using real girls familiar with the types of issues depicted in the film would create an honesty to their performances.
Background
Down for Life is based on the actual experiences of Lesly Castillo, born October 4, 1989, in Jalisco, Mexico. The Castillo family moved to Los Angeles from MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
when Lesly was four years old. Her father worked nights for a demolition company. Her mother was a housewife, raising Lesly and her two younger siblings. Lesly attended Locke High School
Locke High School
Alain Leroy Locke High School is a Title 1 co-educational charter high school located in Los Angeles, California, United States, and is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District/Green Dot Public Schools. It is named after Alain LeRoy Locke....
in South Central Los Angeles, where some of the movie was filmed. Having the reputation as one of the city’s lowest performing schools, Locke High School often witnessed “one of the homegirls or homeboys… get shot or killed or just simply put in jail.” In 2001, out of a class of 979, only 322 students graduated. Lesly began skipping school in 8th grade. While Lesly was in the process of repeating the 9th grade, she was required to attend summer school to make up the missing credits and was offered a mercy “D” if she would describe a day in her life.
Lesly has since renounced her gang ties. She currently is enrolled at Los Angeles Southwest College
Los Angeles Southwest College
Los Angeles Southwest College is a community college located in an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County, California, United States, near the city of Los Angeles...
. In September 2007, Locke High School became a charter school operated by Green Dot Public Schools
Green Dot Public Schools
Green Dot is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Downtown Los Angeles which operates ten public schools in Greater Los Angeles.Green Dot is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Downtown Los Angeles which operates ten public schools in Greater Los Angeles.Green Dot is a nonprofit...
.
Despite continued violence at Locke High School, Green Dot Public Schools has subdued hostility, increased parental involvement, and has organized its educational system into six academies.
Production team
The film was shot on location at Locke High School, where the story was based, as well as at other locations in South Central and East Los Angeles. These locations were chosen to “evoke the city in all its stark contrasts of privilege and poverty, hope and despair.”Alan Jacobs, a New York native, directed Down for Life It was Jacobs's seventh feature film. The film was Produced by Scott Alvarez and Frank Aragon. It was Aragon's sixth feature film. In 2001 Aragon won the Golden Eagle award from Nosotros. The art director, Bernardo Trujillo, won the Sierra Award for Best Art Direction for the feature film Frida
Frida
Frida is a 2002 biographical film which depicts the professional and private life of the surrealist Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. It stars Salma Hayek in her Academy Award nominated portrayal as Kahlo and Alfred Molina as her husband, Diego Rivera....
(2002). In 2005, Trujillo’s work on And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself
And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself
And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself is a 2003 television film starring Antonio Banderas as Pancho Villa.At the time of production, this was the most expensive 2-hour television/cable movie ever made, with a budget of over $30 million....
(2003) resulted in an Emmy nomination and a nomination for Excellence in Production Design by the Art Directors Guild
Art Directors Guild
The Art Directors Guild is an American labor union and branch of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees representing almost 2,000 motion picture and television professionals....
. The Art Directors Guild also nominated Trujillo for Excellence in Production Design for the Oscar-winner Babel in 2007.
Vito Colapietro composed the music for Down for Life. Previously, he worked on the soundtracks for Barbershop (2002) and Four Brothers (2005). He also was the composer for Just Another Day (2009).
Reviews
In 2009, Down for Life was screened at both the Toronto Film Festival and the Los Angeles Latino International Film FestivalLos Angeles Latino International Film Festival
The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival includes feature films, documentaries, and short films from the Spanish and Portuguese diaspora. The six-day festival was established in 1997...
, where it received critical support. The film is slated for a theatrical release in Fall 2010.
Peter Hammond of The Los Angeles Times says, “Speaking of 2010 Oscar contenders... we're wondering where the next Precious is coming from. Distributors should look no further than a 2009 Toronto Fest entry Down for Life… [The cast] is mostly L.A.-based non-actors led by Jessica Romero who could become next award season's Gabourey Sidibe
Gabourey Sidibe
Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe is an American actress who made her acting debut in the 2009 film Precious, a role that brought her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress.-Early life:...
.”
Reed Johnson, also of The Los Angeles Times says, “The emotional chemistry among...novice performers, in concert with a few seasoned pros such as Danny Glover, Kate del Castillo and Snoop Dogg in secondary roles, is one of the things that makes Down for Life feel more authentic and credible than many of the countless other movies...brings street cred to two of the movie's thorniest topics: urban girl gang bangers, and tensions between L.A. Latinos and African Americans.”
Carlos Morales of The Voice, says, “This film breathes life and resurrects what is happening on the streets of not only South Central but in all major suburbs across this country. It focuses a bright beam of light on the social issue that has plagued our country for years...The acting is real, the story is real, and the action is real...It is moving, motivating and a must see!... It's deserving of a distribution deal ...and as an unofficial entry into next year's Oscar race... It's that good...”
Toronto’s The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
describes the film as a “gritty, wallop-packing Los Angeles-set drama...Unflinching (but not gratuitous) in its depiction of domestic violence and girl-on-girl brutality...Disturbingly frank, the film assaults its viewers, but in a very effective way.”
Erin Oke of Exclaim. CA describes the film as “a brutal and uncompromising look at an environment characterized by poverty and desperation...The script does well capturing the contrast between the shockingly commonplace physical and sexual violence of gang life and the moments of light-hearted girlhood...Lead actress Jessica Romero is a fresh and vivid presence in her film debut as Rascal.”
Newsblaze.com says the film is “a powerful and unflinching look at a world most of us know little about yet it is grounded with a sense of hope that a mainstream audience can relate to: there is a better life out there, if you are willing to fight for it...Riveting, painful and disconcerting in its jagged reality.”