Review of El Cantante (2006) by Matt B — 20 Oct 2008

"You only love me when you're high,"...the best line of the film "El Cantante". It's sad to say, but I'm sure thousands of people could relate to that statement. At one point in my life, I know I could have.

That is what I love so much about the movie; the fact that it is a true story, and shows that the life of the rich and famous isn't much different from the lives every day people. The film is about the life of salsa singer Hector Lavoe (played by Marc Anthony) and his wife Puchi (played by Jennifer Lopez).

Anthony is a wonderfully electrifying singer and plays the musician who was credited with helping to begin the salsa revolution of the '60s and '70s. The film is about the chaos of love and fame, and the chaos that Lavoe lives through during his life as the highly popular singer and during his tragic downfall.

Lavoe began his singing career at the age of seventeen in New York City. He quickly floated to the top of the salsa world in the 1970's and became extremely well known in the United States and Latin America.

Just before he became famous he met his future wife Puchi. His marriage to Puchi was not a conventional one by any means, with the traveling, drugs, and other women that Lavoe sought out, the marriage seemes to be domed.

The couple was in love, just unsure of how to make things work the right way. It was a destructive relationship at the least. Lavoe, while using drugs and sharing needles contracted AIDS, which was nearly unheard of during this time.

Throughout his life he went through long periods of serious depression and unsuccessfully tried to commit suicide by jumping from an apartment building. He later died of AIDS in 1993. Anthony plays the role so well; he almost makes you believe that he is Lavoe.

Anthony helps the audience to understand the thin line that Lavoe walked between tragedy and triumph, between drug and music, and love and hate. He is almost as brilliant as an actor as he is a singer.

In the movie, Anthony does his own singing, and sounds very much like Lavoe himself. Lopez, who not only plays Puchi, the cocaine addicted, controlling, co-dependent, pushed-aside wife of the famous salsa singer, but also produced "El Cantante.

" Puchi struggles to be taken seriously by her husband and the world in general. She is blindly devoted to a man that has no idea how to love anything but music, and continuously put her through a life of hell and rejection.

It's almost like she can't keep away from Lavoe because she's in love not only with him, but in love with his image and the charm that he radiates when he's not lost in the high life. Throughout it all, Puchi loyally stays by Lavoe's side, until he finally dies from AIDS related complications at the age of fourty-six.

Lopez clearly is the life of the film, and steals the show right out from under Anthony who is supposed to be the focus of the film. Anthony and Lopez are perfect together, on screen and off. The two have a sexual chemistry unmatched in movies these days.

They were extremely believable playing their roles. I love this movie, and have never seen anything like it. I own it in my personal collection, but it is clearly not for everyone. At least rent it and give it a chance.