Federico Castelluccio, Jennifer Lopez, John Ortiz

"El Cantante" is the dramatic-biography of Puerto Rican salsa pioneer Hector Lavoe. The film follows Lavoe's passionate relationship with Puchi and his skyrocket to international fame. But, even when ...( read more  read more... )he has it all, Lavoe is unable to escape the allure of drugs and his personal pain.

Flixster Users

65% liked it

8,201 ratings

Critics

24% liked it

103 critics

R, 1 hr. 46 min.

Directed by: Leon Ichaso

Release Date: August 3, 2007

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DVD Release Date: October 30, 2007

Stats: 1,139 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,139)


  • October 31, 2007
    I absolutly loved this movie. The acting was great (and I can't stand JLo)...the music was amazing and I thought it was well told. I totally enjoyed these 2 hours...if you love music you'll love this movie
  • August 8, 2007
    About as generic as musician biopics come. Lopez is especially grating.
  • August 7, 2009
    Very enjoyable, good performances. Most biopics follow the same formula: star starts off poverty-stricken, small fish in a big pond, meets the right people by chance, becomes uber-successful, then the drugs, loose women come along, then tragedy. El Cantante doesn't stray from thi...( read more)s formula either, but Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's performances were good, very enjoyable, I think they really brought life to the real people they were portraying. Plus it didn't hurt that the salsa music was really infectious. I LOVE Marc Anthony's voice, I think its raw and mature and he was a wise choice for the role of Hector Lavoe.
  • September 23, 2009
    quiero ver la bendita pelicula!!!
  • September 20, 2009
    Hector Lavoe was and still is a salsa God! And no one better to play him but Marc Anthony. I particularly enjoyed his performance and J.Lo, whom I usually do not like, also rose to the occasion. Great movie in which salsa music filled all the breathable air..
  • August 11, 2009
    this film is is about the life of Hector Lavoe which played by MArc Anthony. Anthony there was a salsa legend alongside real-life wife Jennifer Lopez as ?Puchi?...And Marc's wasn't bad at all!.. it shown there that drugs really ruined your carrer..outstanding performances for lo...( read more)pez and marc.
  • August 10, 2009
    Maybe i want to see this.
  • July 7, 2009
    Hector Lavoe? Who is he? A salsa legend? A drug addict? An immigrant from Peurto Rico? Well he was all three.
    Yet, this film isn't just about him, but also his personal and family life, along set with his wife Puchi there to keep him from destroying his own life.
    Either way, t...( read more)his film grasped me and made me really realize what Love and pain can do to a person, and Lopez and Anthony have a great chemistry onscreen and set of a blazing fire od charisma and sensational entertainment. For me it was a "Three and a Half out of Four" Stars picture.
    A Slight reccomendation.
  • May 22, 2009
    This is a threat to your emotions.
    A truth to your reality
    A music to your moment
    A heart to your brain
    A song to your history,
    to your life.
    El Cantante is not a movie.
    Latino stand up y grita, this a moment.
    Gerardo sorry i need to steal this words, you cant be more ex...( read more)act.
    This were not actors, this were people.
    Watch it is a shame no to do it.
  • May 8, 2009
    Phenomenal footage of my Father's native Island, PUERTO RICO!!!

Critic Reviews


August 4, 2007
Pete Hammond, Maxim

It's hot stuff! Lopez and Anthony set off fireworks. In fact Lopez has never been better. As a musical showcase it scores big time. full review

August 3, 2007
Claudia Puig, USA Today

The music is the uncontested highlight of El Cantante, which tells the story of the tragic life of salsa legend Hector Lavoe. full review

August 3, 2007
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

Throughout El Cantante, we're told repeatedly that everybody loves Hector, though why they should love him is a mystery. For fully two-thirds of the film, there isn't enough there either to like or di... full review

August 3, 2007
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The director (Leon Ichaso) and his co-writers haven't licked a crucial question: Why do we need to see this movie and not just listen to the music? full review

August 3, 2007
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Where's the ambition? Where's the passion? full review

August 2, 2007
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

Whenever Marc Anthony takes the stage as Hector Lavoe in El Cantante, he unleashes his charisma and shows that, whatever his limitations as an actor, he is a brilliant performer.

August 2, 2007
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

El Cantante disintegrates into a stylized jumble -- even a straightforward jumble would have been preferable. full review

August 1, 2007
Armond White, The New York Press

Lopez, Anthony and Ichaso seize the opportunity to make Hollywood's first NuYorican epic. full review

View more El Cantante reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • rosemaryserrano
    May 16, 2009
    i will never show my kids this movie drugs and nothing but drugs in the whole movie
  • laukool10
    January 18, 2008
    NO SÉ, COMO QUE LE FALTÓ, ME PARECE QUE SE FIJARON SÓLO EN LA DROGA
  • Puchi02
    September 15, 2007
    I love this movie! i watched it myabe 100 times people who said "They only did drugs. EL CANTANTE and didn't talk about nothing only drugs" that a BIG LIE They said Much Everything and said that marc anthony killed this movie! The Question is ARE YOU PUERTORICAN??? MEXICAN???? WELL YEAH I AM YOU DIDN'T RELIZE THE MOVIE MUCH SO GO FIGURE
  • rickyloc
    September 1, 2007
    great movie marc and jennifer felicidades
  • papuch99
    August 27, 2007
    Great movie....Marc Anthony and Jennifer were AWSOME.....Love it.
  • Luvinhearts15
    August 13, 2007
    Great movie and music! Just wanna give a shout out to my uncle JOhn Ortiz who played as Willie Colon in El Cantante! Great JOb to Jen and Marc! An amazing story with amazing actors!
  • giselsuperchick18
    July 30, 2007
    WOW HECTOR LAVOES STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!CANT WAIT TO WATCH THIS MOVIE!!!
    I HOPE MACD ANTHONY ROCKS THIS MOVIE WITH SALSA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!;)

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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