Selena had a HORRIBLE father!
My friend Helen and me decided to rent a Jennifer Lopez movie to see if her acting was really that good back in the day, and settled on this 1997 dusty from the 90s. Being in our 50s, we often knit and sew while watching movies- as a way to chit chat during the story.
Apparently this is what filmmakers call a "biography" picture. It's based on a Mexican singer named Selena, who allegedly was popular in the 90s. The story is pretty simple- it's about a beautiful, independent musical artist vs. a temperamental, overbearing monster.
Poor Selena is forced to obey to her father's wrath starting at a young age. Instead of playing with the rest of the kids on the block as a child, she's stuck inside the house belting out old 50s tunes as her weird Dad plays the guitar. Helen suggested he might have even made sexual moves on her, since he seemed "infatuated with her" much of the time.
As Selena matures into a young lady, a band has formed. She falls in love with one of the guitarists but the father hates him. In a really odd scene, he yells so much at him for wanting to marry his daughter, Helen had to turn the volume of the television down so we wouldn't disturb our neighbors. It was at this point of the film (which drags a lot) that we decided to sew more. We glanced up at the movie from time to time, but the plot was already clear- the father was a controlling dictator, and the fact that the mother is a silent pot is also pretty pathetic.
There are other various characters- including a caring and nanny like assistant named Yolanda, who becomes the person in charge of Selena's fan club. When she gave her a ring, Helen and I smiled. Finally someone cares for her success, unlike her father.
We never finished the movie- but we saw 95% of it. We turned it off when Selena was asking her mother "will they like me momma?", and she has a nightmare only one person throws a rose on the stage. Considering we never heard of her indicates she was probably a one-hit wonder who vanished by the 2000s.
The movie was so-so; very very drawn out, and although Lopez is charming as the title character, we hated the father so much we can't recommend this movie. He was an abuser. The movie also doesn't have much direction. What was the point in making it? The music Selena sings is not our taste, and I can see why she never became a big name.