I didn’t realize that "El Cantante " was already out on DVD and I guess it doesn’t surprise me given that the reviews were not very good. I personally liked the film because of the exposure to Hector Lavoe’s music throughout the film and a view of Salsa history that many people don’t even know about.

Pioneering a sound that blended Puerto Rican and American influences, Lavoe’s humble beginnings as a singer in Puerto Rico to his days as a Latin idol living in New York City are chronicled. Marc Anthony gives a good performance as Lavoe , pulled by stardom to the United States in the early 1960s, quickly capturing the praise and attention of local musicians and New Yorkers. When Lavoe meets Puchi , Lavoe’s wife, played by Jennifer Lopez she gives him the confidence to dive head first into the music business. Recording albums, selling-out shows and producing hit after hit, Lavoe’s lifestyle catches up with him as he becomes involved in drugs.

Although the film really focuses on the stressed lives of Lavoe with Puchi , it also presents the Salsa scene in a way I have not seen before in a movie.

If you haven’t seen the film check it out. The music alone in the film is worth it.

More information about the film: www.elcantantemovie.com