History Film / BornInEastLA

* Malicious Misnaming: "If you want to make a phone call, there's a phone booth right outside the door. ''In Mexico'' where you belong, Rudy-do Loopli-loo, whatever your name is."

* ThoseTwoBadGuys

* DodgeThis:
-->'''Ex-employee:''' Pepe pays me ''twice'' as much!\\
'''Jimmy:''' Then why don't you go work for Pepe?\\
'''Ex-employee:''' ''(leaves)'' Ah eat shit!\\
'''Jimmy:''' ''(makes the Italian salute)'' Eat ''this!'' ''Eat this!!''

* WhatTheHellHero: Dolores yells at Rudy for arriving at her house late for dinner. She was cut off when Rudy asked for something cold for his head, he explained that he got into a fight with the two guys from jail, and when he got away he got on the wrong bus and had to walk 5 miles. He apologizes anyway. She too apologizes for yelling, she just felt disappointed he didn't come soon since she was pretty lonely since coming to Mexico.

'''Ex-employee:''' Ah eat shit!\\

* WhatTheHellHero: Dolores was angry at Rudy for coming late to her house for dinner and throws a tantrum at him. She was cut off when Rudy asked for something cold for his head, he explained that he got into a fight with the two guys from jail, and when he got away he got on the wrong bus and had to walk 5 miles. He apologizes though. She too apologizes for yelling at him, she just felt disappointed he didn't come soon since she was pretty lonely since coming to Mexico.

'''Jimmy:''' ''(makes a flipping-off gesture with his arms)'' Eat ''this!'' ''Eat this!!''

* CitizenshipMarriage: At the end, he [[spoiler:manages to sneak back into the USA and hastily marries Dolores so she will not be deported - she lives in Mexico but is from El Salvador and risks being sent back there as she has had her ID stolen.]]

* WhatTheHellHero: Dolores was angry at Rudy for coming late to her house for dinner and throws a tantrum at him. She was cut off when Rudy asked for something cold for his head, he explained that he got into a fight with the two guys from jail, and when he got away he got on the wrong bus and had to walk 5 miles. He apologizes though. She too apologizes for yelling at him, she felt disappointed he didn't come soon since she was pretty lonely living in Mexico.

* DistractedByTheSexy: There's a couple of gags where an especially attractive redhead[[note]]unnatural?[[/note]] Latino woman (who was one of Cheech's garage customers in the movie) would literally make everyone else stop in their tracks and stare whenever she walked past. She makes a last appearance at the end of the film.

** Feo seems to be offering Rudy the job of electric chair executioner. He turns on the switch, the prisoner flinches in pain... then Rudy noticed he's sitting on the running tattoo needle.

** It seems as though Rudy was following the attractive redhead because he's trying to ask her out. Only to meet her at his workplace.

* ChekhovsGun: In the extended version, the money Rudy was supposed to deposit was used to save Rudy and his new girlfriend Dolores from the Coyotes.

* WhatTheHellHero: Dolores was angry at Rudy for coming late to her house for dinner and throws a tantrum at him. She was cut off when Rudy asked for something cold for his head, he explained that he got into a fight with the two guys from jail, and when he got away he got on the wrong bus and had to walk 5 miles. She apologizes for yelling, she was just disappointed since she was pretty lonely since she came to Mexico.
* WhoNamesTheirKidDude: Feo. He must have been a real ugly baby.

[[quoteright:299:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/p10264_p_v8_aa.png]]

* [[YouJustHadToSayIt I Just Had To Say It]]:
-->'''Rudy:''' Is there anything else? I like to eat my breakfast before it grows green hair on it!\\
'''Rudy's mom:''' As a matter of fact, there is.\\
'''Rudy:''' I had to ask.

'''Rudy:''' What are you talking about?! 57! I'm not 57, and I don't care what you're damn computer says!

* [[RealMenWearPink Real Men Drive Pink]]: Rudy drives a pink lowered Volkswagen to work.

* TitleDrop: "I was born in East LA." Which Rudy said twice.

* WhatTheHellHero: Dolores was angry at Rudy for coming late to her house for dinner and throws a tantrum at him. She was cut off when Rudy asked for something cold for his head, he explained that he got into a fight with the two guys from jail, and when he got away he got on the wrong bus and had to walk 5 miles. She apologizes for yelling, she was just disappointed since she was pretty lonely since she came to Mexico (see Citizenship Marriage).

* ChekhovsGun: The money Rudy was supposed to deposit was used to save Rudy and his new girlfriend Dolores from the Coyotes.
** Saved from the Coyotes? Was this only in the (considerably extended) TV version?
*** Yes it is.

* BrickJoke: Rudy got the name of the President (at the time) wrong.

'''Rudy:''' Ronald Reagan!\\

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Rudy's mom rented the house across the street. In the alternate scene, the tenants were the Coyotes.

* [[YouJustHadToSayIt I Just Had To Say It]]

* NoYou

-->'''Rudy:''' First I went down to the factory to pick up my cousin, you know, I don't even know what he looks like, but my mother showed me a picture, and went to the factory to pick him up, and I won't lie to you but he's probably an illegal anyways, so anyway I went to look for him and he's not even there, and I was walking around the factory and all of a sudden the goddamn immigration raid, the guys came and busted in, and they think that I'm an illegal and grabbed me and threw me in the bus! And I want to complain about that officer right now, this guy was not only rude, he was degrading! So they deported me, and so they bring me down here, so here I am and[=--=] all I wanted to do is go home now, okay?\\

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The two guys who drove Rudy and the others back to East LA. They were last seen leaving the truck to take a leak.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The two guys who drove Rudy and the others to East LA. They were last seen leaving the truck to take a leak.

* GroinAttack: More like Groin Tickle.
-->'''Little guy:''' You better give us the money, or you better give us ''somethiiiiing!'' ''(grabbing Rudy's groin)''

-->'''Rudy:''' First I went down to the factory to pick up my cousin, you know, I don't even know what he looks like, but my mother showed me a picture, and went to the factory to pick him up, and I won't lie to you but he's probably an illegal anyways, so anyway I went to look for him and he's not even there, and I was walking around the factory and all of a sudden the goddamn immigration raid, the guys came and busted him, and they think that I'm an illegal and grabbed me and threw me in the bus! And I want to complain about that officer right now, this guy was not only rude, he was degrading! So they deported me, and so they bring me down here, so here I am and[=--=] all I wanted to do is go home now, okay?\\

* TitleDrop: "I was born in East LA."

* UsefulNotes/LosAngeles: At the start and end.

* UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan: He's mentioned several times. When the immigration officer asks Rudy who's the president, he answers John Wayne by mistake, which is "proof" enough that he's an illegal despite his protests and his ability to clearly speak English.
-->'''Rudy:''' ''I'M AN AMERICAN CITIZEN, YOU IDIOTS! THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS RONALD "DICKHEAD" REAGAN!''