one Puerto Rican blogger's reaction to "El Cantante :

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El Cantante the story of Hector Lavoe- directed by Leon Ichaso and featuring Marc Anthony as Hector Lavoe and J-Lo alongside him.


I missed this film completely which is probably a good thing... i've heard people say that this movie was disappointing-- which is pretty sad actually... it had the potential to be so powerful, and turn people on to the brilliant voice of this amazing Puerto Rican Salsa singer Hector Lavoe... but when does Hollywood ever portray any of our nation's diverse cultures in a positive light? rarely..... Yes, Lavoe had a turbulent life.. part of that was a symptom of the 70s as an era of excess... take any of the pop disco stars from that era and you'll find plenty of equally depraved dirt if you want it... i was going to try to rent it on dvd.. but now i might just skip it altogether so that my respect for Hector Lavoe isnt completely pissed on by this film....

"Willie Colon, Lavoes' long time friend and musical partner, was critical of the movie, writing on his web site:
The Creators of El Cantante missed an opportunity to do something of relevance for our community. The real story was about Hector fighting the obstacles of a non-supportive industry that took advantage of entertainers with his charisma and talent. Instead they did another movie about two Puerto Rican junkies. The impact of drugs in the entertainment industry is nothing new; look at Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Whitney Houston today."