Susan Velazquez Colmant

This mini-review series is to share updates about things I recently read or watched, and what aspects of them I’d like to see in my manuscript wishlist.

My Brazilian client recommended Música when it premiered on Amazon and I’ve taken a while to get around to it because as much as I love rom-coms, very few rom-coms scratch that itch from rom-coms I watched from the 90s and 00s.

Movie Description:

Música, a coming-of-age romantic comedy by writer, director and star, Rudy Mancuso takes us on a fun, musically driven journey as Rudy finds love with Isabella (Camila Mendes) all while navigating his career and his Brazilian culture

What I Liked and Now Want for My MSWL:

• Latine Representation – Brazilian culture and language (specifically Brazilian diaspora culture since the setting is in Newark, New Jersey) is prominently shown here in a way that feels like we are getting a peek into an everyday person’s life
• The Setting as a Character – Although we don’t see much of Newark per se, the film is crafted to show off slices of neighborhood life–the beauty salon where Rudy’s mother works, the fish market where he meets Isabella, the food truck stop where he meets with his friend–that makes this feel like a vibrant setting
• Avoiding Manic Pixie Dream Girls/Guys – On the surface, Rudy himself might fit the Manic Pixie Dream Girl stereotype–his synesthesia causes him to frequently get distracted, he has an artistic sensibility, and he has a sensitive past that haunts him and prevents him from making commitments. Similarly, Isabella might also seem like she could fall into the MPDG stereotype given her philosophical view on their neighborhood, her self-assuredness, and the fact that her sudden arrival into Rudy’s life teases that she might be the one who gets his life on track. But the film never falls into this–both Rudy and Isabella are fully realized characters on their own and while Isabella is appreciative of Rudy’s perspective, she doesn’t sacrifice her wants or dreams to support him.