Boulevard Nights – Review

Brothers Raymond (Yniguez) and Chuco (De La Paz) Avila spend their time at odds with each other. Raymond woos his longtime girl Shady Landeros (DuBois), looking to take his relationship to the next level, while Chuco spends time with hoodlums on the Los Angeles streets. Raymond has a job and upward mobility, Chuco has drugs and violence.

The brothers still get along well with each other, mostly, and try to spend some time together. Raymond tries to look out for his little bro, and even help him land work at the auto shop. When Chuco breaks away and spends time with his gang, Varrio Grande Vista or VGV, they into scraps with the 11^th Street hoods, a war is brewing.

So, since the audience can all see a storm coming from miles away, the only questions are will Chuco escape the drug and crime life, or will Raymond wind up drawn into the violent whirlwind? Youth does not always add up to making the best decisions, however dragging in families and loved ones into trouble is never good. This story of two brothers and their separate paths is not that bad, and worth it for fans of classic gang movies, or Mexican-American culture.

If you are willing to enter the late 70s world of tough guys, guns, hydraulics, and Latino culture, look no further than Boulevard Nights. It may play out slower than modern features, but it contains all the right crime and gangster elements to mix into the rest of the pack. The acting is pretty good and fits the timeframe, and while the story doesn’t bring a lot of new twists, it is a good representation of cultures of the period.