American Me
“In prison they are the law. On the streets they are the power.”
Synopsis
During his 18 years in Folsom Prison, street-gang leader Santana rules over all the drug-and-murder activities behind bars. Upon his release, Santana goes back to his old neighborhood, intending to lead a peaceful, crime-free life. But his old gang buddies force him back into his old habits.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
American Me - TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2011-04-12
Top Cast
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Edward James Olmos
Montoya Santana
William Forsythe
J.D.
Pepe Serna
Mundo
Panchito Gómez
Young Montoya Santana
Steve Wilcox
Young J.D.
Danny De La Paz
Puppet
Sal Lopez
Pedro Santana
Dyana Ortelli
Yolanda
William Smith
Deacon
Evelina Fernández
Julie
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
El Japo
Daniel Villarreal
Little Puppet
Daniel A. Haro
Huero
Vira Montes
Esperanza Santana
Richard Coca
Young Mundo
Roberto Martín Márquez
Acha
Joe Aubel
Tattoo Artist
Rob Garrett
Zoot Riot Bystander
Release History & Theatrical Window
March 13, 1992
Wide Cinema Exhibition
May 26, 2023
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$16M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$13.1M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.82x
-$2.9M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Edward James Olmos
- Screenplay & Story
- Floyd Mutrux, Desmond Nakano
- Original Score
- Claude Gaudette, Dennis Lambert
- Original Title
- American Me
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English, Spanish
- Runtime
- 2h 5m
- Production Budget
- $16M
- Worldwide Gross
- $13.1M
- Production Studios
- YOY, Universal Pictures, Olmos Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Edward James Olmos
Floyd Mutrux, Desmond Nakano
Claude Gaudette, Dennis Lambert
Reynaldo Villalobos
Richard Candib, Arthur Coburn
Robert M. Young, Edward James Olmos, Sean Daniel, Lou Adler, Floyd Mutrux
Department Leadership Roster
Edward James Olmos
Director
Floyd Mutrux
Screenplay
Desmond Nakano
Screenplay
Robert M. Young
Producer
Edward James Olmos
Producer
Sean Daniel
Producer
Claude Gaudette
Original Music Composer
Dennis Lambert
Original Music Composer
Reynaldo Villalobos
Director of Photography
Richard Candib
Editor
Arthur Coburn
Editor
Joe Aubel
Production Design
Sylvia Vega-Vasquez
Costume Design
Joel Kramer
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for American Me.
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Frequently Asked Questions About American Me
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is American Me about?
During his 18 years in Folsom Prison, street-gang leader Santana rules over all the drug-and-murder activities behind bars. Upon his release, Santana goes back to his old neighborhood, intending to lead a peaceful, crime-free life. But his old gang buddies force him back into his old habits.
Who directed American Me?
American Me was directed by Edward James Olmos.
Who stars in American Me?
The principal cast of American Me includes Edward James Olmos, William Forsythe, Pepe Serna, Panchito Gómez, Steve Wilcox.
When was American Me released and how long is it?
American Me was released in 1992 with a total runtime of 2h 5m.
What was the box office and production budget of American Me?
American Me had a reported production budget of $16M and grossed $13.1M at the worldwide box office (0.82 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for American Me?
The original motion picture soundtrack for American Me was composed by Claude Gaudette, Dennis Lambert.
What is the age rating and content advisory for American Me?
American Me holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).