Summary
A documentary exploring the rise and fall of legendary Colombian singer Diomedes Díaz, who was accused of murder.
Netflix documentary Broken Idol: The Undoing of Diomedes Díaz was released on the streaming service on March 30, 2022.
Netflix has released a documentary about the Colombian musical artist, Diomedes Diaz. The documentary covers his rise to fame, his lifestyle, and his downfall when he is accused of murdering a younger, female fan, who died of a drug overdose. Diaz went from being a best-selling musical artist to a fugitive, practically overnight.
His music was inspired by his personal experiences, but his friends say they had to watch him 24/7. A big partygoer, an exuberant man, known for his sparkling smile, he even had a diamond put in his tooth. He earned his money from his mouth, so why not put a diamond in there? He comes across as someone with an ego, who knew how important and how influential he was. There is a section where he counted his children, fathering over 35 children with many different women, he clearly was an impulsive character with little discipline. As his vices took over his shows became more violent, and he encouraged it. Unfortunately, he isn’t the first artist to fall into the realm of alcohol and substance abuse, and a lot manage to continue their careers. Diaz’s changed when a young, female fan, Doris Adriana, was found dead from a drug overdose. He was accused of murder and went on the run. What innocent man goes on the run?
The documentary follows this case and Diaz’s downfall from these accusations. It goes into the investigation and how the dots were connected to Diaz to the death and the trial. The passion from her brother to defend and protect his family’s image is heartfelt and inspiring. Of course, Diaz denied all allegations of being involved. There is a lot to this story, with mixed stories and accounts, you’ll have to watch and form your own opinions on what happened that night. Diaz died suddenly of a heart attack in a clinic in the northern city of Valledupar, just days after releasing his 30th album, at 56 years old.
In this documentary we get a lot of previous live footage of Diaz performing, interviews with the star, as well as family, friends, fans, colleagues, lawyers, the family of the victim, and investigators on the case. A lot of information and opinions are thrown around, and I was intrigued by a satisfying conclusion. Colombian, speedy, energetic music is used, with quick cuts of images reflecting the racy life of Diaz. The cinematography is great, with strong contrasts between bright colors and dark night shots.
Overall, this documentary is a good watch, it’s nice to learn about another culture and a powerful and painful part of their history. The original language is in Spanish, but there are voice-over and subtitles available. At one hour and forty-one minutes long, this documentary is an interesting and intriguing watch. Watch if you’re a music fan and/or a fan of documentaries.
What did you think of the Netflix documentary Broken Idol: The Undoing of Diomedes Díaz? Comment below.
You can watch this documentary with a subscription to Netflix.
