East Side Story (2006)

The arrival of Anglo newcomers to an East L.A. Latino neighborhood rocks the quiet world of a handsome young local who is torn between the family restaurant and life as a big city chef.

Director:

Carlos Portugal

Writers:

Carlos Portugal, Charo Toledo

Stars:

René Alvarado, David Berón, Gladise Jiminez

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
René Alvarado	...	Diego Campos
David Berón	...	Pablo Morales
Gladise Jiminez	...	Bianca Campos (as Gladise Jimenez)
Steve Callahan	...	Wesley Henderson
Cory Schneider	...	Jonathan Webber (as Cory Alan Schneider)
Irene DeBari	...	Sara Campos (as Irene DeBari)
Luis Accinelli	...	Don Rogelio
Yelyna De Leon	...	Tiffany
Luis Raul	...	Salvador
Jason Kordelos	...	Lowell
Ruben Rabasa	...	Efrain Morales
Andrea Zafra	...	Janice Morales (as Andrea Levin Zafra)
Michael Cassidy	...	Dennis
Michael Cormier	...	Dan
Cris Franco	...	Mr. Martinez

Storyline

East Side Story is the story of Diego (René Alvarado), a young, closeted Latino, who helps his grandmother (Irene DeBari) run the family restaurant while carrying on a relationship with equally closeted Pablo (David Berón). Diego has long felt trapped by the conservative culture of East LA and plans to move away and open an upscale restaurant, hopefully with his lover, but Pablo views their relationship very differently - a point driven home when he begins dating Diego's Aunt Bianca (Gladise Jimenez). At the same time, Wesley and his boyfriend move in, gentrifying the neighborhood. The attraction between Wesley and Diego is immediate and electric, forcing both men to reexamine their state of affairs.

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Plot Keywords:

restaurant | latino | chef | grandmother | racism | 

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Taglines:

Love Thy Neighbor...Just Don't Get Caught.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA Mexico

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

7 June 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Del otro lado de la historia

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Into Action Films

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The restaurant in the movie Tio Pepe's is the same restaurant featured on the show East Los High. Since the director for both is Carlos Portugal.

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Quotes

Sara Campos: What's happened around here? I'm gone for a month, the chef dies, the restaurant is bankrupt, your ex-boyfriend is now engaged to my daughter, and I find you in bed with the gringo from across the street!

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Connections

References West Side Story (1961)

User Reviews

A delight

This is a wonderfully fun and well-made film. For a low-budget film, this is about as good as it gets. You can tell the people involved are headed for great things. The direction was flawless. The drama was touching and the humor absolutely hilarious; the pace: perfect. The acting: engaging.

While technically a coming-out story, it doesn't feel like one. The story avoids the clichés with a refreshingly modern angle. The over-arching themes are there loud and clear, without overshadowing the personal story of the lead character.

I saw this film at Philly's gay film festival. So many of the other films either have gorgeous eye candy or good acting, not both. That was not the case with this movie. The lead actors are all incredibly hot - and you see plenty of them - yet they were great actors as well. The director was generous with the eye candy without being gratuitous. It seemed directed to appeal to a gay audience, but tastefully, in a way that won't be a turn-off to straight audiences.

Fun. Entertaining. Touching. Hilarious. Highly recommended.