Made In America--Film Review
by Karen Pecota

Made in America from documentary filmmaker Stacy Peralta is a brilliant exposé of the two most notorious street gangs in Los Angeles, called the Bloods and Crips. Peralta’s style of history giving lures the audience into the account with the use of funky diagrams, clear city maps and original photography of the past and present. His use of modern film technology helps to give a clear visual image to connect the historical and detailed documentation to real people.

He begins with describing the origins of each group; how they evolved--including the use of an insider only language, clothing and music; what is happening today and the outlook for the future with these gang members. His passion to understand the two gang subcultures of Southern California stems more from a sincere desire to help these people break out of a vicious cycle where their world is consumed with death. Some of the original gang members are making an effort to see this break out possible and Peralta tells their story.