Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado
Director: Cristina Costantini and Kareem Tabsch
Year Released: 2020
Rating: 2.0
In his native Puerto Rico, Walter Mercado was famous for his flamboyant attire - imagine Liberace partnered up with Siegfried and Roy - and vivacious personality as he gave out astrological advice (Sagittarius represent!) on television ... until his manager handed him a bad contract and he lost the rights to his own name and content. As fun as Mr. Mercado was - even in his late 80's he still had it - the documentary blows past controversy over the Psychic Hotlines that he sponsored that scammed people out of their money (I remember you, Ms. Cleo) and does everything it can to put him in a positive light, and the last half hour is hagiography: Lin-Manuel Miranda shows up to meet his idol (and gush like a fan girl) and a special exhibit is put up in Miami to honor him (and his fashion sense). But maybe his appeal came down to this: he was fundamentally a motivational speaker dishing out plate after plate of positivity, and that's what some people need. As for me, I prefer The Onion's horoscopes....