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DVD : El Cantante
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Rating: 
- ho hum biopic
**1/2
In 1963, Hector Perez was already a promising young singer in his native Puerto Rico when, at the age of seventeen, he moved to New York City to try and make a name for himself as a performer there. In no time flat, he was playing in clubs, had signed a lucrative recording contract with the Latin-flavored Fania Records, and had changed his name to the far more exotic-sounding Hector Lavoe. From the mid-1960s to his death from AIDS in 1993, Lavoe was an international sensation who helped to popularize the musical style known as "Salsa." But, as with most artists, he lived a life of self-destructive self-indulgence, marked by serial philandering and hardcore drug abuse. He also had a volatile relationship with "Puchi," the Bronx girl who became his wife and who narrates "El Cantante," the glossy movie about his life.
Despite the novelty of the milieu and an undeniable sincerity on the part of everyone involved in its production, "El Cantante" remains doggedly conventional, lackluster and superficial in its treatment of the kind of material with which we are all too familiar from previous biopics that have chronicled the rise and fall of artists of all categories and stripes. Marc Antony brings a certain ferocity and depth to his portrayal of the struggling celebrity, but real-life wife Jennifer Lopez is all fluttery overacting as the woman who stood by her man through good times and bad (mostly bad). The music is enjoyable, but I'm afraid we've all been down this road so many times before that "El Cantante" fails to stir either our passions or our sympathy for the sadly benighted couple and all that they're going through. You'd be better off buying the albums instead.
Rating:
- Lopez steals the show
Since the public is still trying to get over the over-exposure of JLO a few years ago, an injustice has occurred: Lopez put in one stunning performance in this movie and failed to get the recognition it deserved. I didn't know anything about Hector Lavoe before this film and sadly I still don't know that much about him. I agree that as a biopic, the film fails to get the audience to connect with its main star. In fact, it seems to go out of its way to show how much of a selfish jerk (keeping it P.G.) he was. I think it has a lot to do with Anthony always wearing sunglasses in the film. You have to show the movie audience your eyes. That's how we bond with people. The sunglasses allowed Marc Anthony to hide from the audience-and therefore gave us a sense that Anthony's performance was false. Lopez needs to give up the singing and stick to acting. Also, I do agree with some of the other reviewers has said about the direction and editing. I don't think they should have approached this film like a faux documentary. It quickly grew old and confusing. Still this is a movie worth seeing.
Rating:
- Great Movie! Stand up Boriquas!!!
Great movie, about a great man Mr. Hector Lavoe (Perez). I am a Nuyorican from Brooklyn with alot of family in the bronx, and this music was always in my family parties. Salsa as a Latina, is the music of my heart...it moves me whenever I hear it..
At times I admit it may go a little slow..but overall I loved the cast and the story. And I am not a very big JLO fan....but I loved her in this movie as Hector's strong willed wife Puchi.. And it gave me a bit of history from back when Salsa first began and was the best..it made me proud.
Rating: - El cantante sings!
I loved this movie and I also love JLo and Marc Anthony! I think this movie was underrated. If you are truly interested in Hector Lavoe, you will love it. If you buy it just cause you want to see JLo and Marc, you probably won't like it. They are good in the movie but the story is what made it for me. Of course, it goes without saying, Marc Anthony's voice is supberb!
Rating: - WONDERFUL....
I rented this film recently and was surprised at how good it was. The story depicts the stormy life and tragic end to the great salsa legend Hector Lavoe. This movie hits you in the heart from the start. It makes you care about the character and his music. I now own a cd of Hector Lavoe and I never knew I could like salsa. Who knew?? His music is amazing and the tragic events of his life makes you want to know the person behind the prose of his songs. My ears know good music when it hears it and this man was a icon. Hector Lavoe.......rest in peace!
I'm not much of a fan of Jennifer Lopez but she played a good role. However, another actress (a more popular one) would have made this film more marketable to the non-Hispanic population ( mass audience).
- ho hum biopic**1/2
In 1963, Hector Perez was already a promising young singer in his native Puerto Rico when, at the age of seventeen, he moved to New York City to try and make a name for himself as a performer there. In no time flat, he was playing in clubs, had signed a lucrative recording contract with the Latin-flavored Fania Records, and had changed his name to the far more exotic-sounding Hector Lavoe. From the mid-1960s to his death from AIDS in 1993, Lavoe was an international sensation who helped to popularize the musical style known as "Salsa." But, as with most artists, he lived a life of self-destructive self-indulgence, marked by serial philandering and hardcore drug abuse. He also had a volatile relationship with "Puchi," the Bronx girl who became his wife and who narrates "El Cantante," the glossy movie about his life.
Despite the novelty of the milieu and an undeniable sincerity on the part of everyone involved in its production, "El Cantante" remains doggedly conventional, lackluster and superficial in its treatment of the kind of material with which we are all too familiar from previous biopics that have chronicled the rise and fall of artists of all categories and stripes. Marc Antony brings a certain ferocity and depth to his portrayal of the struggling celebrity, but real-life wife Jennifer Lopez is all fluttery overacting as the woman who stood by her man through good times and bad (mostly bad). The music is enjoyable, but I'm afraid we've all been down this road so many times before that "El Cantante" fails to stir either our passions or our sympathy for the sadly benighted couple and all that they're going through. You'd be better off buying the albums instead.
Rating:
- Lopez steals the showSince the public is still trying to get over the over-exposure of JLO a few years ago, an injustice has occurred: Lopez put in one stunning performance in this movie and failed to get the recognition it deserved. I didn't know anything about Hector Lavoe before this film and sadly I still don't know that much about him. I agree that as a biopic, the film fails to get the audience to connect with its main star. In fact, it seems to go out of its way to show how much of a selfish jerk (keeping it P.G.) he was. I think it has a lot to do with Anthony always wearing sunglasses in the film. You have to show the movie audience your eyes. That's how we bond with people. The sunglasses allowed Marc Anthony to hide from the audience-and therefore gave us a sense that Anthony's performance was false. Lopez needs to give up the singing and stick to acting. Also, I do agree with some of the other reviewers has said about the direction and editing. I don't think they should have approached this film like a faux documentary. It quickly grew old and confusing. Still this is a movie worth seeing.
Rating:
- Great Movie! Stand up Boriquas!!!Great movie, about a great man Mr. Hector Lavoe (Perez). I am a Nuyorican from Brooklyn with alot of family in the bronx, and this music was always in my family parties. Salsa as a Latina, is the music of my heart...it moves me whenever I hear it..
At times I admit it may go a little slow..but overall I loved the cast and the story. And I am not a very big JLO fan....but I loved her in this movie as Hector's strong willed wife Puchi.. And it gave me a bit of history from back when Salsa first began and was the best..it made me proud.
Rating:
- El cantante sings!I loved this movie and I also love JLo and Marc Anthony! I think this movie was underrated. If you are truly interested in Hector Lavoe, you will love it. If you buy it just cause you want to see JLo and Marc, you probably won't like it. They are good in the movie but the story is what made it for me. Of course, it goes without saying, Marc Anthony's voice is supberb!
Rating:
- WONDERFUL....I rented this film recently and was surprised at how good it was. The story depicts the stormy life and tragic end to the great salsa legend Hector Lavoe. This movie hits you in the heart from the start. It makes you care about the character and his music. I now own a cd of Hector Lavoe and I never knew I could like salsa. Who knew?? His music is amazing and the tragic events of his life makes you want to know the person behind the prose of his songs. My ears know good music when it hears it and this man was a icon. Hector Lavoe.......rest in peace!
I'm not much of a fan of Jennifer Lopez but she played a good role. However, another actress (a more popular one) would have made this film more marketable to the non-Hispanic population ( mass audience).