Upamanyu Biswas
‘Can You Feel the Beat: The Lisa Lisa Story’ is a Lifetime biopic centered on the life of Lisa Velez, best known by her stage name, Lisa Lisa. Directed by Tailiah Breon, the drama pulls back the curtain on the inner workings of the 80s music industry through the eyes of Lisa, who struggles to balance her personal life with the challenges of her profession. The Puerto Rican singer must contend with breast cancer while also navigating the racism and sexism within her workplace as she continues her musical journey to stardom. To that end, Lisa has to rely upon those close to her to support her when things get tough. In the narrative, these people often include her mother and her friend, Toni Menage. However, another significant character depicted within the movie who has a hand in Lisa’s development is her older brother, Eladio.
Eladio is a Fictional Character Who is Likely Based on Some Parts of Reality
Eladio in ‘Can You Feel the Beat: The Lisa Lisa Story’ is a fictional character conceived by the film’s writer Rebecca Murga. He is Lisa’s brother in the movie, which is possibly a nod towards her real-life family. In reality, Lisa grew up as the youngest of ten siblings. Thus, it is possible that Eladio may be a composite character drawn from the Latina pop artist’s real-life siblings. Although faithful and accurate in its portrayal, the film veers into more dramatized territory at certain places, possibly due to narrative concerns or deliberate choices by the filmmakers. It makes sense, therefore, that Eladio could have been created with a specific story purpose in mind, highlighting Lisa’s struggles back at home as she contends with her career as a singer/artist.
In the film, Eladio and Lisa fight multiple times. He is the first person to discourage Lisa from constantly fantasizing about becoming a star singer and instead reminds her about her responsibilities towards her family. Their relationship is difficult from the beginning and is often characterized by Eladio’s frustration. However, it becomes evident later that Eladio is struggling with his younger sister shouldering the burdens of adulthood from a very young age. He is distraught by her plight and wishes he could be the one doing it in her place. When Lisa buys her mother a car and a home, Eladio expresses his anger at the situation, clearly not happy that she is extending herself so far to give so much back to the family. The real-life Lisa carried out a similar gesture for her mother, which adds some weight to the moment.
As the narrative progresses, Eladio softens as a character and grows more accepting of Lisa. He eventually has a crucial exchange at the end of the movie, which perfectly encapsulates their bond in a poignant and somber fashion. He tells his sister that he is incredibly proud of her and never once doubted her capabilities for success and greatness. Instead, his reasons for fighting her were primarily due to fear and anxiety. He worries that she would have to go through the same hardships as him. Despite seeming like a detractor throughout the narrative, Eladio is always in Lisa’s favor and wishes her the greatest achievements in life. While it is difficult to make a connection between him and Lisa’s real-life siblings, the character still plays a pivotal role in the story. However, despite his narrative prominence, he remains a figment of the writer’s imagination.
