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September 2006
First Look: El Cantante
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Hector (Anthony) is a humble Puerto Rican singer who feels the pull of stardom leading him to the United States in the early sixties. Once in New York, he quickly captures the attention of the local musicians - impressed by his emotive singing style - and Puchi (Lopez), a tough-talking beauty who becomes Hector's advisor as well as his one true love. She gives him the confidence he needs to partner with his long-time collaborator, trombonist Willie Colón ( John Ortiz), and their label, Fania Records - and to pioneer a sound combining Puerto Rican and American influences: salsa. His natural charisma and arresting voice means he rides high on sold-out concerts, dozens of hits and best-selling albums, but Hector can't escape the allure of drugs and the pain of his father's rejection. Even Puchi ultimately throws up her hands at his unwavering self-sabotage. As she says: "Love is never perfect when it's real love." As the couple move from the glory days of the seventies to the bleak
realities of the eighties, their relationship flames out in wrenching
scenes of personal tragedy. El Cantante purges its difficult emotions
with a touching final tribute, as director Leon Ichaso incorporates footage
of the real-life Lavoe's funeral in 1993, for which thousands of New
Yorkers took to the streets to pay their respects.
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