I’ve been chasing CARLOS since it played at Tribeca earlier this year. I had hoped to get into the screening and concert but I couldn’t score a ticket. There was no press screening and I couldn’t make the encore screening since it was too late on a work night. However because I have friends with long memories I got an email asking if I still wanted to see the film since it was coming out in September. I of course jumped at the chance.
Filled film wall to wall music the film is the life and career of Carlos Santana in his own (and occasionally his family) words. It’s the arc of his life as the son of a mariachi musician all the way up to superstardom. It’s the story of a really nice guy who weirdly lucked into his career by being really good at what he does and meeting the right people (Bill Graham) at the right time.
The trouble is that as Santana tells it there really wasn’t a lot of drama in anything that happened. He simply drifted from one thing to the next with his talent and drive pushing him forward. That’s not a bad thing if you are living it, but half way into the film I kind of was hoping something dramatic would happen. A flat tire? A paper cut? Maybe he locked his keys in the car? Something anything.
Don’t get me wrong it’s absolutely a lovely film that I will rewatch every time I run across it because of the music, but as a dramatic story this is a bit lacking
Reservation aside this is a great film and is recommended.
No comments:
Post a Comment