Mi Vida Loca (English: My Crazy Life) is a 1993 American drama film written and directed by Allison Anders, about a group of young Mexican-American women living in Echo Park, Los Angeles and facing the struggles of friendship, romantic entanglements, motherhood, and gang violence.
The film centers around two female Locas members, Mona "Sad Girl" (Angel Aviles) and Maribel "Mousie" (Seidy Lopez), childhood best friends who become bitter archenemies after they get pregnant from the same guy, their beloved Ernesto (Jacob Vargas). One night, the girls' plan to fight to the death is interrupted when Ernesto is shot dead in a drug deal gone wrong, leading the girls to reconcile. They later discover that Ernesto secretly kept a custom-made truck (called "Suavecito") hidden in his garage, leading the Locas to consider selling it to get the money to raise their kids, but their male counterparts, the Locos, have other plans for the truck.
Film contains examples of:
- The '90s: The film takes place during this period, and it shows in the characters' "chola" look that was typical at the time: Aquanet-teased hair, plaid shirts, white tank tops, dark lips, and hoop earrings.
- The Alleged Car: El Duran views "Suavecito" this way, as he's more into the more expensive, classic cars. He only tries to claim it from the Locos as a matter of pride.
- All for Nothing: The gang's discovery that "Suavecito" was actually stolen and crashed by a another Loco made them realize that they killed El Duran for nothing.
- And This Is for...: One of the girlfriends says this on El Duran's behalf when aiming to shoot Sleepy Jr. She accidently shoots Big Sleepy's daughter instead.
- The Casanova: El Duran has a reputation as a womanizer, as he's frequently seen surrounded by several women. When Blue Eyes discovers this part of him at a dance club, she leaves him. However, one of Blue Eyes' poetry letters found in the pocket of El Duran's jacket that he wore when he was killed raises the possibility that he may have genuinely loved her.
- Cool Car: Ernesto's beloved truck which he affectionately called "Suavecito".
- Death of a Child: Big Sleepy's daughter is shot by a bullet meant for Sleepy Jr.
- Gangbangers: The Locos/Locas participate in a few illegal activities as their sources of income. Ernesto and Whisper would sell drugs on the street.
- Gratuitous Spanish: A lot of Spanglish is thrown around in the film, as is the norm in predominantly Hispanic American neighborhoods.
- Hood Film: The film portrays the lives of two rivalling gangs that takes place in the streets of Echo Park, a predominantly Mexican American community.
- Innocent Blue Eyes: Alicia's blue eyes serve to show her youth, her kind-heartedness, and her naivete (in contrast to her gang member sister).
- Ironic Nickname: Played straight and subverted with Mona, who was given the gang name "Sad Girl" despite being described by Rascal as too happy, but kept it only because it was the only name left for her to take. However, the culmination of tragedy and violence over the course of the film slowly lead to her to live up to her nickname.
- Karma Houdini: The white female client gets away with killing Ernesto. Likewise, El Duran's girlfriends also seemingly get away with killing Big Sleepy's daughter.
- Meaningful Name: Some of the Locas' gang names are indicative of a physical or personality trait. For instance, Maribel is called "Mousie" for her short stature, "Whisper" for her low, raspy voice, and Alicia, although not a gang member herself, is called "La Blue Eyes" for obvious reasons. The only exception is Mona, who was initially assigned "Sad Girl" because it was the only name that wasn't taken.
- Mood Whiplash: The film ends with a cheery scene of Big Sleepy and his children going to a convenience store, with Sleepy Jr stopping to talk to the daughter, who's happily riding her tricycle. Moments later, the daughter is gunned down by El Duran's vengeful girlfriends.
- Oh, Crap!: Ernesto loses it when Whisper reveals that she gave Sad Girl a loaded gun to defend herself against Mousie, when he himself had given Mousie an unloaded gun that same day, and worries that the fight will end in bloodshed. Thankfully, this doesn't happen, as his death interrupts the fight.
- Only Sane Man: Giggles' time spent in jail lent her a new perspective on life, mainly that she will have to earn a more honest living instead of relying on men to give her a life. She also points out that a friendship between two girls shouldn't be broken over a man.
- The Reveal: The revelation that Juan Temido (Blue Eyes' mystery lover from prison) and El Duran are the same person.
- Someone to Remember Him By: Sad Girl and Mousie both view their children fathered by Ernesto as this.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl:
- Sad Girl dresses in baggy clothes and her makeup is dark. Mousie prefers more fitted clothing, has waist-length hair, wears red lipstick, and is seen wearing a tight, short red dress while waiting at her apartment for Ernesto.
- Sad Girl and La Blue Eyes: La Blue Eyes wears flowered dresses and moons over her prison pen pal.
- Whisper and Rachel: Whisper wears a baggy brown shirt, baggy khakis and swears like a sailor. Rachel wears a long maternity dress and presents as proper — until she drops an F bomb
- You're Not My Type: While bragging about his many sexual escapades to Whisper, Ernesto claims that he would never have sex with white women.
