Saagar Kote
Directed by Michael Greene, ‘Clika’ is the story of the ups and downs in the life of Chito, a talented young musician from Yuba City. He lives with his mother, Mari, and his brother, Chuy, and comes from an immigrant family. Despite his musical skills, he faces financial difficulties, which force him to be a drug runner. He takes up dangerous jobs for cash, often ignoring the threats that come along with them. As Chito struggles to balance his aspirations with his desperation, he finds himself in a world that he doesn’t fully understand.
When a clip of him performing one of his songs goes viral, he deals with his sudden fame and the consequences of leading a double life. As his situation gets more complicated, he faces familial issues that threaten to alter his life. With the odds stacked against him, Chito must find a way out of his ordeal and also gather the courage to keep his dreams alive in an unfair world. The drama movie captures important moments grounded in human emotions.
Clika is a Tale of Endurance and Passion That Takes Inspiration From the Life of Jay Dee
‘Clika’ is an engaging story written by Michael Greene, Jimmy Humilde, Sean McBride, and Ski-ter Jones. The narrative focuses on Chito’s struggles while realistically highlighting the immigrant experience. Chito’s life reflects certain aspects of the life of Jay Dee, who portrays Chito in the movie. Trap corrido singer Jay Dee, whose real name is Jesús Diego Orejel, developed discipline through hard labor, spending hours harvesting peaches in Yuba City’s orchards. This rigorous work ethic motivated him to launch a music career as the frontman of Herencia de Patrones, a corrido tumbado band in the late 2010s. This is extremely similar to Chito’s journey in the film, which adds a personal touch to the narrative.
One of the most important parts of the story is when Chito’s song goes viral on social media. This mirrors Jay Dee’s real life, where one of his videos has over 91 million YouTube views. The movie also draws inspiration from films like ‘Friday,’ ‘8 Mile,’ and ‘Boyz n the Hood.’ The story also chronicles the rise of corridos tumbados, which have recently been popularized by bands like Herencia de Patrones. The movie is more than just the tale of an individual; it is a poignant exploration of the cultural dynamics of the Latinx community in the US.
Jay Dee and Jimmy Humilde Shed Light on the Film’s Soul and Chito’s Character Dynamics
‘Clika’ is a deeply relevant movie that exudes authenticity through its nuanced portrayal of a man’s complex journey. In an interview with De Los (Los Angeles Times), Jay Dee opined that filming a motion picture in his hometown, in the very fields where he used to work, was a life-changing experience. Regarding the lessons that the film taught him, the actor said, “I hope this film inspires people to pursue their dreams, showing that it’s really possible to make it out regardless of where you come from or your background.” Speaking to Moviefone, Jay Dee discussed his approach to playing Chito and certain aspects of the character that reflect his own reality. The actor divulged that Chito keeps a lyric notebook in the film, which is what he does in real life, too.
He expressed, “Yeah, that’s real-life. That’s me all day. If I don’t have a notebook in my pocket, I’m writing on my phone, I’m writing on a napkin. Whatever I could write on, I’m there. If not, I’ll just wait until we get to the booth and it’s already in my head.” The movie also features dialogues and linguistic flavors that are similar to Jay Dee’s personal cultural experience of speaking “Spanglish.” Jimmy Humilde, one of the writers of the film, stated, “Jay Dee was the man for this and fit in perfect. It was the character we were looking for. It was the character that matched the script.” In the narrative, Chito is a layered character whose choices are not easy and are driven by ambition, survival, and love simultaneously.
The character also adds to the movie’s grit and realism through the social realities he navigates. His connection to the world of drugs and music at the same time makes his choices difficult. In an interview with Paper, Jay Dee talked about the elements that connect Chito’s character to his own life. He expressed, “Chito is a lot like me back when I was barely starting. The come-up. Trying to do music, not being accepted, working in the fields—because I couldn’t devote all my time to music even if I wanted to.” Ultimately, ‘Clika’ is a story partly inspired by real-life experiences and a commentary on the cost of success.
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