Crossover Dreams

Panamanian salsa singer Ruben Blades made an impressive acting debut in this clever reworking of the old story of a man who rises to fame, forgets about his old friends, and then hits the skids. Blades and his band struggle to earn a living on New York's less-than-lucrative Latino music circuit, but Blades has "crossover dreams," yearning to make it big in the mainstream. His musical mentor, Virgilio Marti, discourages Blades from abandoning his roots, but after Marti's death Blades comes to the attention of slick producer Joel Diamond, who pays him $15,000 to record a pop single. The song becomes a minor hit, and Blades says adios to his old friends and takes to l...