Watch Born in East L.A.

Born in East L.A. is a comedy film that was written and directed by Cheech Marin of the well-known Cheech and Chong comedy team. Based upon a parody of Bruce Springsteen's hit record, Born in the U.S.A, the song parody is also featured on the Get Out of My Room Cheech and Chong album. The movie was filmed in Los Angeles, produced by Stan Coleman and Peter Macgregor-Scott and distributed by Universal Pictures. The story begins as Rudy Robles (played by Marin) is instructed by his mother to pick up cousin Javier (played by comedian Paul Rodriguez) at the local factory where he works before she departs for Fresno, CA. When Robles arrives right after immigration officials have raided the factory in search of illegals, he is deported since he has no identification and no one is available to verify that he is a citizen of the U.S. Even though fluent in German after serving there in the United States Army, he only speaks very simple Spanglish. While in Tijuana, Robles befriends ex-con Jimmy (played by Daniel Stern) and Dolores, a waitress (played by Kamala Lopez-Dawson). Since he is not successful at contacting his mother, Robles makes repeated attempts at crossing the border. Jimmy offers to take him back home, but only if he teaches two Central Americans and other future illegals how to walk and talk like they are East Los Angeles natives. All the while, he is working at a strip club as a doorman for Jimmy and earning extra money by selling oranges. Robles becomes enamored with Dolores. Finally he raises enough cash for smuggling services across the border. After a date with Dolores, he says goodbye to Jimmy and gets into the Coyote's truck. A woman pleads to be taken along with her husband since their family is already in the United States, so Robles gives up his place to the woman for free. While Immigration Officers hide in their truck, Rudy, Dolores and the guys he trained to walk and talk like East Los Angelenos manage to walk right into the United States.