In an odd sense, this film was more about the destitute condition of family than the social significance of father-son relationships. An allegory to say the least, this proves to be one of those films which felt dark and compelling, but possessed some rather unsettling nuances within the script. Roosters didn't try to hide the meaning of the champion rooster, but the meaning behind the bird proved to be quite genius. Instead of the typical separation of differences between a father and a son, the rooster filled the gap quite nicely.
While this isn't Edward James Olmos' best film, it proved to be one of the more confined and unusual pieces of work in his prestigious career. Up until this point, he had always been a good guy. But like his turn in American Me and this film, Olmos proved he could convey guile and remorselessness as well. I also give kudos to Sarah Lassez as the mentally handicapped Angela. While she was somewhat annoying in the early parts of the film, her role was a nice juxtaposition to the family's main conflict in the later stages of the film.
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