Current:Home > ScamsDaddy Yankee's reggaeton Netflix show 'Neon' is an endless party-InfoLens
Daddy Yankee's reggaeton Netflix show 'Neon' is an endless party
View Date:2024-12-23 11:31:55
It's nice to find the dreamers in the world.
So many of our cultural stories these days are about the already powerful, whether we watch the machinations of the corrupt and dishonorable ("Succession") or the ever-more convoluted adventures of the super-powered fighting the equally but villainously super-powered (every Marvel show and film). At the summer box office, we had "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer," one based on a toy that has sold millions for multiple generations and the other about the man who created the deadliest weapon in the world.
So where do we find space for a kid from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who just wants to make music?
Well, amid all those other projects you might spot the literal bright light of Netflix's "Neon" (now streaming, ★★★½ out of four), the Daddy Yankee-produced story of Santi (Tyler Dean Flores), an aspiring reggaeton artist hoping for his first record deal. Santi has talent, ambition, energy and two faithful best friends, but that may not be enough to make it in Miami's crowded music scene, which includes enough hustlers, schemers and dreamers to bowl right over naīve Santi and his crew.
Funny, occasionally absurd and with a vision to match its glowing title, "Neon" is the kind of little-show-that-could that used to define Netflix's original series. Santi and his "professional team" of childhood pals − nervous manager Ness (Emma Ferreira) and loopy creative director Felix (Jordan Mendoza) − are such lovable losers, that you automatically want to root for them.
After Santi earns a modest hit with a self-produced song and music video, he and his friends take the leap and move from small-town Florida to the bright lights of Miami, the heart of the reggaeton scene. Expecting an instant record deal, tons of cash and adoring fans, they instead find a harsh awakening when navigating the music business proves harder than showing up with talent.
When record label rep Mia (Courtney Taylor), who may not be what she seems, crushes some of their hopes and dreams, team Santi has to figure out how to turn his internet fame into a real opportunity, whether that means remixing a grocery store jingle, sneaking into swanky parties or crashing other singers' performances. The series does not shy away from cringe humor, but with Flores' cherubic face and bright smile, Santi always seems to get out of his scrapes.
"Neon" balances a sexy and silly vibe that embraces the club-thumping and seedy backdrop of Miami yet finds humor in the most unexpected places. Its music is electric and catchy, and the characters appear to capture the spirit of the Latino-influenced reggaeton genre, topping charts with artists like "Gasolina" singer Yankee, Bad Bunny and J Balvin. Yankee and artists like Jota Rosa appear in cameos as themselves, and guest stars like Jordana Brewster ("Fast and Furious") provide plenty of verve and chemistry.
No matter how many roadblocks Santi hits, from a lack of money, a place to live, or getting tangled up with a possible crime lord, his optimism almost never wavers. Sure, he has moments of despair, as we all do, but overall he, Ness, Felix and Mia offer the kind of unironic can-do spirit that might seem cheesy to some but feels refreshing in a cynical era.
Santi may not even be real, but I still feel like one day he'll be topping the charts.
veryGood! (4985)
Related
- Businesses at struggling corner where George Floyd was killed sue Minneapolis
- New Orleans Saints staff will stay in team's facility during Hurricane Francine
- 9 children taken to hospital out of precaution after eating medication they found on way to school: reports
- Could America’s divide on marijuana be coming to an end?
- Review: 'Emilia Pérez' is the most wildly original film you'll see in 2024
- Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes says he will not endorse anybody for president
- Man convicted of killing Chicago officer and wounding her partner is sentenced to life
- Northern lights may be visible in 17 states: Where to see forecasted auroras in the US
- Today's Craig Melvin Replacing Hoda Kotb: Everything to Know About the Beloved Anchor
- When does 'The Golden Bachelorette' start? Premiere date, cast, what to know about Joan Vassos
Ranking
- Moana 2 Star Dwayne Johnson Shares the Empowering Message Film Sends to Young Girls
- Judge orders Tyrese into custody over $73K in child support: 'Getting arrested wasn't fun'
- Jordan Chiles Says Her Heart Is Broken After Having Olympic Medal Stripped
- Coach Outlet Bags & Wallets Under $100—Starting at $26, Up to 75% Off! Shop Top Deals on Bestsellers Now
- Why Dolly Parton Is a Fan of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Little Love Affair
- Jordan Chiles Says Her Heart Is Broken After Having Olympic Medal Stripped
- Video captures Jon Bon Jovi helping talk woman in crisis off Nashville bridge ledge
- Kate Moss’ Sister Lottie Moss Hospitalized After Ozempic Overdose
Recommendation
-
John Krasinski is People's Sexiest Man Alive. What that says about us.
-
The Trainers at Taylor Swift’s Gym Dogpound Offer Up This Hard AF Workout…Are You Ready For It?
-
Why Chappell Roan Told MTV VMAs Attendee to Shut the F--k Up
-
Horoscopes Today, September 11, 2024
-
Louisiana mom arrested for making false kidnapping report after 'disagreement' with son
-
Polaris Dawn mission update: SpaceX Dragon takes crew to highest orbit in 50 years
-
Harvey Weinstein indicted on additional sex crimes charges ahead of New York retrial
-
Shohei Ohtani inches closer to 50-50 milestone with home run, steal in Dodgers win