Selena (1997)

All Critics (39) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (29) | Rotten (15) | DVD (9)

Selena surmounts its connect-the-dots approach to its heroine's life to create an appealing, energetic look at a too-briefly soaring musical star.

March 27, 2009 Full Review

Todd McCarthy

Variety

Top Critic

By the end of the film, Selena has been all but canonized.

May 20, 2003 Full Review

Stephen Holden

New York Times

Top Critic

Nava, who started his feature-film career with El Norte, is a good director who invariably finds a strong rapport with his actors. He's not much of a writer, though, and he should think twice about creating dialogue for his future projects.

June 18, 2002 Full Review

Edward Guthmann

San Francisco Chronicle

Top Critic

Missing is a sense of the interior life behind the smiling face that Selena showed the world. What of the drive that led her to music? What comfort did she find in it? What pain?

May 11, 2001 | Comments (3)

Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

Top Critic

This is a simple story of hope and triumph, of one girl with the drive to succeed defying the odds and following her dream. It's not an original tale -- movies like this abound -- but Nava's point-of-view is fresh.

January 1, 2000 Full Review

James Berardinelli

ReelViews

Top Critic

Selena Quintanilla Perez's life was too short to fill a screen bio with traditional dramatic components, yet Selena infectiously salutes the Tejano singer who had a rapturous fan base when she was slain in 1995.

January 1, 2000

Mike Clark

USA Today

Top Critic

J-Lo hits the right notes in Tejano star's tale.

October 24, 2007 Full Review

Teresa Talerico

Common Sense Media

Still a very sad and touching movie, with an ending that still gives me heartaches...

October 18, 2007 Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

Owners of Warner's original disc will definitely want to pick up this new set for the additional features and extended scenes.

September 28, 2007 Full Review

Felix Gonzalez Jr.

DVD Review

Jennifer Lopez ... elevates the film immensely with her radiant and energetic performance.

September 28, 2007 Full Review

Felix Gonzalez Jr.

DVD Review

The 10th anniversary special edition DVD release is a two-disc production with a few extras to appeal to Selena's fans.

September 17, 2007 Full Review

Brian Webster

Apollo Guide

A well-meaning but bland and shallow salute to Selena.

September 17, 2007 Full Review

Brian Webster

Apollo Guide

What a biography. And what a screenplay.

September 14, 2007 Full Review

Don Willmott

Filmcritic.com

Even in its sappiest moments, Jennifer Lopez's performance and Selena's music shine through.

September 5, 2007

Felix Gonzalez Jr.

DVD Review

In spite of Jennifer Lopez' strong performance, it doesn't save an incomplete story that only covers some of Selena's life.

July 13, 2007

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Film Threat

In her first major, star-making role, Jennifer Lopez is compelling, but the rest of this showbiz biopic is shallow and excessively melodramatic, like most of Gregory Nava's films.

February 3, 2007 Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Lopez's commanding presence makes up for any of the script's shortcomings.

September 18, 2005 Full Review

Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

Jennifer Lopez is outstanding as Selena, lending ability and grace to the stage numbers, in particular, but throughout the film, in general.

April 9, 2005 Full Review

Robin Clifford

Reeling Reviews

Beautiful movie, Lopez's best work

December 17, 2003

Fred Topel

About.com

Not only gives you some insight into a talented young singer, but some insight into Chicano life in the U.S. Most of all, it is a solid love story.

March 16, 2003 Full Review

Robert Roten

Laramie Movie Scope

• 1. Selena Quintanilla: I mean, did it really happen? Are we here?
  2. Chris Perez: Yes we're here.
  3. Selena Quintanilla: Married and it's ok with everybody?
  4. Chris Perez: We're married. We did it.
  5. Selena Quintanilla: Baby, I just feel like I can do anything. I want the whole world, dancing to my music and wearing my clothes.
  6. Chris Perez: Well, then that's what's going to happen. Guarantee. Pretty soon everybody's going to look like Selena.
  7. Selena Quintanilla: Chris, for the first time in my life I feel like I'm free. Like I can fly if i wanted to. Like I am flying.
  – Submitted by Nhia T (4 months ago)
• 1. Selena Quintanilla: You know what your problem is, you can't even accept something great even when it's staring you in the face. I may not be street-wise and all that, but at least I know not to be that dumb!
  – Submitted by Nhia T (4 months ago)
• 1. Young Suzette: Selena, what are you doing?
  2. Young Selena: I'm looking up at the moon. And I'm dreaming.
  – Submitted by Nhia T (17 months ago)
• 1. Selena Quintanilla: Don't go to Corpus, go the other way!
  2. Chris Perez: Where we wanna go, Alaska?
  3. Selena Quintanilla: Anywhere but Corpus?
  – Submitted by Alyssa B (20 months ago)
• 1. Abie Quintanilla: So much for my bustier.
  – Submitted by Alyssa B (20 months ago)

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