Selena (1997)
80%RT Audience Score: 80%
Awards & Nominations: 9 wins & 6 nominations
Selena occasionally struggles to tell its subject’s story with depth or perspective, but those flaws are rendered largely irrelevant by Jennifer Lopez in the title role
Selena” is a movie that’s as spicy as a taco and as sweet as a churro. J-Lo brings the heat with her electric performance as the Tejano superstar, and the musical numbers will have you dancing in your seat. While the movie tries to do a lot, it still manages to capture the heartbreak of Selena’s untimely death and the cultural significance of her music. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely worth a watch, especially if you’re a fan of J-Lo or Latinx music.
Production Company(ies)
Titanus Société Nouvelle Pathé Cinéma Société Générale de Cinématographie
Distributor
Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros.
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
San Antonio, Texas, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for some mild language and thematic elements
Year of Release
1997
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:2h 7m
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Language(s):English, Spanish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 21, 1997 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 12, 2006
Genre(s)
Biography/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Jennifer Lopez, Edward James Olmos, Jon Seda, Constance Marie, Jacob Vargas, Lupe Ontiveros, directed by Gregory Nava, written by Gregory Nava, produced by Robert Katz, Moctesuma Esparza, biography, drama, PG, box office gross $35.4M, reviewed by Sarah Kerr, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Duane Byrge, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Richard Harrington, Kenneth Turan, Rosa Parra, Rachel Wagner, Matt Brunson, Dennis King, Justin Brown, Selena Quintanilla, Mexican-American, Tejano, music, family, father-daughter relationship, romance, tragedy, English-language album, Texas, guitarist, Yolanda Saldivar, Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros
Worldwide gross: $35,764,351
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $66,667,642
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,212
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 7,270,190
US/Canada gross: $35,764,351
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $66,667,642
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 945
US/Canada opening weekend: $11,615,722
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $21,652,645
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 614
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $20,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $37,281,617
Production budget ranking: 1,008
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $20,076,151
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $9,309,874
ROI to date (est.): 16%
ROI ranking: 1,314
Edward James Olmos – Abraham Quintanilla
Jon Seda – Chris Perez
Constance Marie – Marcela Quintanilla
Jacob Vargas – Abie Quintanilla
Lupe Ontiveros – Yolanda Saldivar
Director(s)
Gregory Nava
Writer(s)
Gregory Nava
Producer(s)
Robert Katz, Moctesuma Esparza
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
9 wins & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (48) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (32) | Rotten (16)
It tries to satisfy too many different groups at once and ends up watering down the art so much it satisfies no one.
February 27, 2020
Sarah Kerr
Slate
TOP CRITIC
Gregory Nava’s 1997 biopic about the Mexican-American pop star Selena Quintanilla Perez… is typical of the genre’s excesses, but I enjoyed quite a bit of it, in large part because of the energy and charisma of Jennifer Lopez in the title role.
February 27, 2020
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
What makes this movie work is Jennifer Lopez’s electric performance as Selena, capturing the charismatic aspects of Selena’s stage persona and the essence of her maturity as a growing woman.
March 21, 2017
Duane Byrge
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
When it doesn’t, however – when Selena teeters precariously in the direction of hagiography and buckles under the weight of representing all Latinas to all people – then the real young woman herself is hard to find.
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B-
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
At its best, “Selena” suggests why so many people reacted with such great heartbreak to her death.
July 6, 2010
Richard Harrington
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
… Lopez’s presence and ability made her seem just one role away from stardom, and with “Selena” she’s seized the opportunity and turned in an incandescent presentation that is especially strong during the film’s numerous musical numbers.
July 6, 2010
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
A formulaic biopic that sets itself apart with its depiction of the Mexican American and Tejano cultural experience.
July 3, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Rosa Parra
Latinx Lens
It captures the appeal of Selena singing and Lopez shines in those scenes.
January 20, 2021 | Rating: 7/10
Rachel Wagner
rachelsreviews.net
It’s hard to get too cynical about the approach taken by Selena.
June 14, 2020 | Rating: 2.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Writer-director Gregory Nava… relates the singer’s story on a touchingly human scale, particularly focusing on the father-daughter dynamic.
February 27, 2020 | Rating: 2.5/4
Dennis King
Tulsa World
J-Lo does a phenomenal job…but I want to see the real Selena story, not one written by her parents…
September 20, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Justin Brown
Medium Popcorn
The last five minutes are amazing…J-Lo looked great, the acting is solid, it’s just a bit too long…
September 20, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Brandon Collins
Medium Popcorn…
Plot
The film tells the story of the life of Mexican “Tejano” style singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez and the progress of her career resulting in her No. 1 US album.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises Jennifer Lopez’s “electric performance” as Selena in the biographical drama.
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