Jennifer Lopez a.k.a. J Lo, and her husband Marc Anthony sure know how to pack in a worldwide Latino audience who shares their passion and energy for music. And that’s a good thing, because while there’s not a lot of story here there is a great soundtrack. Hector Lavoe (Marc Anthony) came to America in the 60s from Puerto Rico bringing with him a sound that nobody ever heard before: Salsa. Rising to instant fame, this is the typical story of sex, drugs and a form of rock and roll. Hector marries his American born wife, Puchi (J Lo) and we follow the rocky road they travel eventually spiraling downward. The tale is told in a 2002 flashback narration by Puchi with a “Jenny from the block” Bronx accent that inter-cuts scenes of grainy concert footage and endless parties. One would imagine that the hype and fame element most likely mirrors their real lives, thus the attraction to making this film. There are tons of inside jokes that went over my Caucasian head as the Latino audience roared when J Lo said lines like, “You vomit, you marry” referencing one of her husband’s wild nights. J Lo’s Puchi is tough, determined and passionate while Marc Anthony’s Hector is dopey, disarming and charming. The biggest question you’ll ask is why did somebody like Puchi put up with Hector for over twenty years? Or as Puchi put it: “The more he grew as an artist, the more he sand as a human.” Two Tiaras
