Born in East L.A.

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Born in East L.A.

R

1987

1h 24m

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

40%

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10 Reviews

62%

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5,000+ Ratings

A Los Angeles native (Cheech Marin) is rounded up by mistake with illegal aliens and dumped south of the border.

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Jas Keimig

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

Jan 21, 2022

It's an interesting skewering of the systems on both sides of the border that keep those seeking a better life impoverished and criminalized.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Dec 2, 2019

2/4

There's ultimately not a whole lot within Born in East L.A. that's worth wholeheartedly embracing...

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Mar 23, 2019

2.5/4

This soft film lacks any sort of a satiric edge, but Marin's charismatic turn provides it with some lift.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Aug 9, 2005

2/5

Dan Lybarger

Nitrate Online

Jul 23, 2004

3/5

Without the drugs or Tommy Chong, Marin still have something to offer.

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Carol Cling

Las Vegas Review-Journal

Aug 22, 2003

3/5

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Demi D

@redpoodle Sep 12, 2026

"Born in East LA" was charming, adorable and very funny.

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Mattie L

@DastardlyMattieLee Aug 8, 2026

A prescient comedy that holds up mostly well today. Of course, the plot point of a Latino American being wrongly deported is on-the-nose in today's culture, but writer/director Cheech Marin keeps it light-hearted and good-natured. And I'll never be able to hear Neil Diamond's "America" without thinking of this movie.

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Anand H.

@Staranand May 6, 2026

Even more pertinent today than when it was made. Think ICE. It was happening back then but now it’s worse. People sent out of the country for being brown. We can do better.

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ERIC G.

@ericgreene1977 Mar 13, 2026

This movie is very funny. Laugh out loud. It's so funny you pee in your pants

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Nicholas t

@nicktalbert2025 Jan 4, 2026

Bad comedy movie 🎬

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Mary M

@RT22493020 Oct 16, 2025

I watched this movie years ago when it came out. At that time, ICE was a thing but not something most of us thought about. It is now a must see as it has some pretty poignant similarities to what is happening nearly 30 years later.

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Cheech Marin

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Cheech Marin

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Synopsis

A Los Angeles native (Cheech Marin) is rounded up by mistake with illegal aliens and dumped south of the border.

Director: Cheech Marin
Producer: Peter Macgregor-Scott
Screenwriter: Cheech Marin
Production Co: Clear Type
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Oct 31, 2006
Box Office (Gross USA): $14.5M
Runtime: 1h 24m

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