Clika follows Chito (JayDee), an aspiring Mexican-American musician living with his family who are facing the immediate foreclosure of their generational home due to the current economic climate. In a bid to save them from this fate, Chito turns to his uncle Alfredo (Cristian E. Gutierrez), a known drug smuggler, and begins doing runs for him to earn the cash needed to give his family the financial safety they so desperately crave.

What starts as a promising commentary on the social disparity immigrants face while chasing the American Dream quickly shifts from something genuinely compelling into a narrative mess that feels more like a student project than a major studio release.

The heart and soul of the first act soon collapse into chaotic nonsense, as Chito balances viral fame with his newfound wealth. Somehow, despite a brand new eighty thousand dollar car and a diamond chain emblazoned with the words “Clika Shit,” his family and girlfriend inexplicably fail to notice anything is different.

There was a real opportunity to tell a heartfelt and meaningful coming of age story in Clika, which is perhaps why it is so frustrating to watch it fall into the trap of trying to imitate 8 Mile in several ways without ever coming close to reaching the same highs.

The film is not helped by some genuinely poor performances. Even allowing for the fact that much of the cast are first time actors, the acting feels stiff and uncomfortable, almost as if this is the first time any of them have stood in front of a camera.

For reasons that remain unclear, perhaps to dramatically shorten the runtime, Chito delivers an awkward narration throughout the entire film. It functions as little more than an unnecessary exposition dump, with Clika jumping through time so abruptly that it ends up feeling choppy, poorly edited, and a bit of a pain to sit through.

It really is a shame that Clika misses the mark so badly, as the soundtrack is genuinely strong and does a great job showcasing the talent of Mexican-American music artists in the United States. Instead of saying anything interesting or heartfelt, however, Clika devolves into a forgettable and poorly executed coming of age music drama that misses the beat entirely.