Initially, biopics were probably created with the intention of highlighting the story of an unsung hero whose contribution to a profession has gone unnoticed. Or they were created to celebrate a well-known figure and educate younger generations about who they should acknowledge when doing the most mundane things in life. But over time, this genre became a hotbed of propaganda, whitewashing, or defamation.
This also led to a decline in filmmaking and storytelling, as artists took bland approaches to telling a story "inspired" by real life, so that these films and series could influence even the most intelligent people. Fortunately, there are rare cases where the subject matter has been presented in a way that doesn't feel like a blatant glorification of their exploits. I'm talking about Amar Singh Chamkila, Baby Reindeer, The Aviator, Tetris, Tesla, Elvis Presley, Spencer, Rocketman, Narcos, The Social Network, and many more. Superstar falls into the same category; However, it's so bold and mind-blowing that it's in a league of its own.
Stars: Ingrid García Jonsson, Neus Asensi, Natalia de Molina
Superstar, by Nacho Vigalondo, is based on Yurena, the Spanish pop star who rose to fame in the 2000s after the success of her song "No cambie," was embroiled in a series of controversies, suffered an accident, and then made a resounding comeback in the 2010s. If you're looking for a more or less realistic portrayal of her life, Netflix has released a companion miniseries: a documentary about Yurena titled "I'm Still a Superstar." If you want a fantastic sensory overload while you're immersed in an emotional rollercoaster with all the people who influenced Yurena and were influenced by her, then, and only then, should you stick around.
I'm guessing the first thing that might throw you off is the structure or format of the series: it's an anthology. You'll get to know Yurena through the eyes of her mother, Margarita. Then, in the second episode, you meet her collaborator, Leonardo Dantes. It follows a deep dive into her manager, Arlekin, and Loly, the girl whose career Yurena apparently "stole." Then, you meet Paco Porras, whose sole goal was to "silence" Yurena. Then there's an Avengers-style team, led by Tony Genil, to humiliate Yurena just as she hit rock bottom. And finally, we're transported to an alternate reality to meet Marimar, a version of Yurena who never made it as a pop star... Yes, it's a lot.
I sat down to watch Superstar with no expectations. I hadn't seen the trailer. I knew virtually nothing about Yurena. The only thing I was mentally prepared for was a straightforward version of a story her fans already know, one that would be compelling enough to impress new fans and boost Yurena's sales. What Vigalondo, Maria Bastaros, Paco Bezerra, and Claudia Costafreda presented was anything but. Let's talk about the first episode.
It's a fairly simple premise: a mother helping her daughter through the various stages of her career, which highlights the universal experience of a parent seeing their child as a child, no matter how popular they become. But then the setting transforms into a refuge for all those mothers who have suffered an existential crisis while trying to navigate the ups and downs of their respective daughters' lives. And that transition is undoubtedly disconcerting, but because the writers maintain a firm grip on the narrative's emotional throughline, the viewer rarely feels isolated.
The same can be said for the rest. The Leonardo episode is like the strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The Loly episode is extremely Lynchian. The Paco Porras episode is very Eyes Wide Shut-like. And the Marimar episode is reminiscent of Coraline. Compared to all that, Tony Genil's saga is relatively realistic and straightforward. So, it's clear the writers have thrown in some unexpected twists and turns, but because it has a single purpose—to paint a vivid picture of the world Yurena and those around her lived in—the overall themes and underlying commentary always remain concise and relevant.
As for the acting, it's a resounding success. Ingrid García-Jonsson has given a career-defining performance. What she does in that final episode is breathtaking. The natural way she changes pace in just 60 minutes is phenomenal. It's one of the best performances I've seen this year. Secun de la Rosa is excellent as both Leonardo and Dantes. In any other film or series, a character like this would have been relegated to the background, but here he becomes the center of attention, and Rosa makes sure not a single second of his screen time is wasted.
Carlos Areces, who plays Paco Porras, clearly has no inhibitions. I mean, the entire cast is willing to take entertainment to the limit, but Areces stands out above the rest when it comes to being unhinged for the sake of the narrative. Julián Villagrán and Natalia de Molina's portrayal of heartbreak, betrayal, and misfortune is truly breathtaking. Furthermore, I think they would have made David Lynch proud had he been around to see the series. The best way to describe Pepón Nieto's performance is to call him a human machine gun.
The speed, efficiency, and intensity with which he delivers his lines are incredible. Rocío Ibáñez in the role of Margarita is simply splendid and makes a mockery of any clichéd portrayal of a mother in a biopic. The casting of Sofía González as Tamarita may be controversial; I understand the intention, but it veers dangerously between exploitation and provocation. The rest of the supporting cast is brilliant; please watch the credits after each episode to appreciate their work and also the effort that went into creating the end credits.
Superstar is definitely not for everyone. It's strange, abstract, wacky, frenetic, disjointed, ambitious, overindulgent, ponderous, and at times incomprehensible. But I think those are precisely the things that impressed me. I'm not going to pretend I understood everything the showrunners were telling me; I'm not that smart. However, what I do appreciate is that they did something different. If you're happy with bland adaptations of Wikipedia articles about your favorite celebrities, that's fine, I guess. However, I'm not into that kind of biopic.
I want something that goes beyond explaining what life was like for the real-life counterpart of a film or series' protagonist. I want to dive into their mind and see life through their eyes. I don't want to be told how chaotic things were for them; I want to experience that chaos. I don't want a shallow exploration of their work; I want an unnecessarily deep exploration. Superstar gave me all of that and more. And that's why I can't help but give it a perfect score. I hope more biopics, whether feature-length or episodic, aspire to be like this. If they can't, maybe they shouldn't. Because, for me, this is the benchmark to beat now.
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