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Selena (1997)

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Credits

Rated: PG; Genres: Drama, Musical; With: John Seda, Jennifer Lopez and Edward James Olmos; Distributor: Warner Bros.

C+

By Michael Sauter

Like too many pop-singer biopics, Selena leaves you asking ''Is that all there was?'' Charting the tragically short life of Selena — the Mexican-American rising star who was murdered at age 23 by her fan club's former president — director Gregory Nava's film glosses over the conflicts and setbacks, leaving a relentlessly upbeat success story that just happens to have a sad ending. The concert sequences played better on the big screen, but despite the star power of Jennifer Lopez, who sparkles on stage and off, most of Selena fits all too snugly on video. It should have been a TV movie. C+

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Posted Sep 26, 1997

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