"El Cantante" won't dim Jennifer Lopez's star

Calimaster · August 25th, 2007, 06:53 AM

Quote:

UNION-TRIBUNE
August 24, 2007

Controversy, film choices don't dim J. Lo's star

Somebody please give J. Lo a break. Bad enough that she has "Gigli" on her professional resumé (and Ben Affleck on her personal resumé). Now she's seen her wife-and-hubby labor of love, "El Cantante," morph into "El Controversia."

Advertisement Latino pop culture's highest-profile couple is taking heat from salsa purists who complain that the film, about salsa legend Hector Lavoe, is a distortion, even an exploitation. Even bandleader Willie Colon, who consulted on "El Cantante," has criticized the final result, according to a recent report by the Los Angeles Times' Agustin Gurza.

What's a diva to do? Turn the other cheek. Please, no jokes.

Jennifer Lopez is Jennifer Lopez, one of the most famous women in the world, and there's nothing her critics can do to change that. Yes, her past few films have been underwhelming – "Monster in Law," "Shall We Dance," "An Unfinished Life," to cite three – but she's already established her acting chops, or have you forgotten "Selena" and "Out of Sight" and possibly "Angel Eyes"? A better question: When was the last time you peeked in a celebrity magazine and didn't see a photograph of J. Lo?

She's pretty good in court, too: Earlier this month, she won a lawsuit stopping publication of a damning book by ex-husband No.1 Ojani Noa.

As for Marc Anthony, his singing credentials are rock-solid (or, pop-solid), and but for parts in "The Substitute" and "Man on Fire," his acting credits are limited. "El Cantante" shouldn't do his music career any significant damage.

The insider criticism and/or box-office performance of "El Cantante" won't matter when Lopez and Anthony launch their tandem tour Sept. 29 in Atlantic City. (They'll be at Cox Arena on Oct. 24.) This is J. Lo's first concert tour, and that alone should offset any fallout from the flick.

There are two Jennifer Lopezes, after all: Movie J. Lo and Pop Star J. Lo. Three if you factor in Celebrity J. Lo.

Poor Marc Anthony ... all these wiseacres calling him "Mr. Jennifer Lopez." Right. "Poor" Marc Anthony. I'm weeping for the guy.

Source: SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Features -- Controversy, film choices don't dim J. Lo's star