El Cantante (2006)

Too much of everything

That was an excellent one.

Just perfect...

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Sorry but this could have been a good film, the acting was very good, but who wrote the awful script? There was just far too much bad language and I turned the DVD off half way through. I am no prude but does anyone really use the F word THAT much? If so they need help! I was really looking forward to this film because of the good reviews and the fact it was about Salsa ( having Jennifer Lopez to look at doesn't hurt either ) but it really was spoiled. I know that I am probably alone in this but for me constant bad language just grates and it spoils my enjoyment of any film. Some swearing can be justified but it got worse as the film went on. Surely there were better ways to show the decline of a man into drugs than that? For me it is sloppy scriptwriting and even sloppier direction of what could have been a really good biopic.

Now I love Jennifer Lopez. Nothing but respect. Who one their right and brightest mind would cast beloved MARC ANTHONY on the lead role ? Why oh why ? As Hector, he is nothing but a short man who disappoints us from the beginning to the end. "Hector never knew how much people loved him. And that's the thing. It's like he didn't want to know." But Marc Anthony (OH YOU SANG TO ME!) seriously should accept the fact that NOT EVERYBODY loves him or his work. He must also accept that he cannot act even if he was tortured. Best thing would be to tie him up and make him listen to all of his songs over and over. And make him watch his music videos over and over. That would be the best punishment for dear Marc. Rest of the cast is great. Everybody else has done a great job. But, the way this movie was shown, could've been better. Some films may not have the element of keeping the mind of the audience stuck to it or keep yer heart pounding and waiting for something great to happen. When movies without these elements are made, they should be shot well and need proper actors. Not someone like OH-YOU-SANG-TO-ME! The narrative could've been better. if you already know about Hector Lavoe, then this movie will just help you add slightly to what you already know. Surely, the movie has great detail. But Marc Anthony is a major turn off for me. Playing a role like that. Its not that he doesn't look the part, HE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE AN ACTOR in the first place. Now that's what you call a major casting problem. Lets be glad he was not cast in DANCE WITH ME or any of the CHE GUEVARA movies for that matter.You could watch it for Jennifer Lopez (fine and fine performance as usual) and the rest of the cast. Movie loses major points because of Marc Anthony. But if you are a OH-YOU-SANG-TO-ME fan, then go watch it. Cause there easily wouldn't be any other movies with MARC ANTHONY playing the title role. (But that could change if J.Lo was planning to produce for the little prik)

Both Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony gave a great performance!! Especially JLo - she really proved in this film that she's not just a dancing pop-star, that she's a really talented actress. And Marc Anthony also showcased his talent as a great salsa singer and a good actor. you can tell they put their hearts into it, because it shows. and all other actors fit right into the parts they played. i like salsa music and have heard Hector Lavoe's music before, so it was great to see Marc Anthony singing Hector's songs. But whether you know Hector Lavoe or not, you'd still enjoy good music and great performance. I would definitely watch it again.

"El Cantante" is "the singer." Marc Anthony is Hector Lavoe, originally Perez, who came to New York from Puerto Rico at age 17. When he started to sing professionally his agents gave him the name Lavoe, which is supposed to mean "the voice" in French, because Perez was too common. I have never been a fan of Salsa music and I never heard of Lavoe, but he apparently was a hit artist in that musical genre in the 60s through the 80s. Marc Anthony, a wonderful singer in his own right, did all his own singing in the movie.Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony's wife in real life, is Puchi who becomes Lavoe's wife. Andrea Navedo is Puchi's sister. John Ortiz is Willie Colón. According to the story in the movie, Lavoe and Colon combine their talents and different backgrounds to come up with "salsa" for their music, because salsa is a mix of things. However, my search of the history of salsa does not attribute its beginnings to them.Lavoe led a troubled life, losing his mother, then his brother, when he was still young. In his relationship with Puchi he was abusive often. Sadly he got heavily into alcohol and drugs, which caused his both professional difficulties and health difficulties. He died of aids (presumably from drug use and sharing needles) before he was 50.The movie is not a particularly good one. It is shot in a grainy, unattractive style, and it is pretty tedious sitting through the whole 2 hours of it. I would have liked the 30 minute version of the movie. Still, I am a fan of both Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, and I enjoyed seeing them. Too bad they didn't have a better script to work with.