A rock and roll musician, Herodotus was tired of people pointing out that he was a doppelgänger of the famous country musician Sandro Sanderlei. And who would have known that one day he would get to live Sanderlei’s life? Zero to Hero is a Brazilian rom-com available on Netflix in which a man is hired to perform as a famous musician after he goes into a state of coma. Hero was desperate to get his first break, but unfortunately, all he ended up with were small gigs that did not pay well. Making ends meet had become a challenge, and when all of a sudden he was paid to be Sandro, his best friend, Panca, begged him to grab the opportunity.
Spoiler Alert
How difficult was it for Hero to become Sandro?
Sandro was on the news for his breakup with Tania Folia, and his weight gain became the talk of the gossip channels. Sandro was an alcoholic, and even with liposuction planned the next day, he chugged down a bottle. The breakup had taken a toll on his life, and the constant fear of losing popularity made life all the more difficult. The next day, the doctors informed his manager and producer, Mr. Agnaldo and Jacques, that the patient had slipped into a coma, all because of the alcohol he had consumed before the surgery. Jacques suggested that they remain silent about it for a week, and if he was still in a coma, they would lie about him getting an appendicitis operation. The plan soon changed when Agnaldo was informed by his friend about a guy who looked exactly like Sandro.
Agnaldo was overjoyed to find a doppelgänger, but Hero refused to spend the next few months of his life pretending to be the man he hated the most. Moreover, he had no interest in country music, and he could not imagine walking away from rock. Hero was willing to refuse the offer had it not been for the money that came with it. As much as he hated the idea, he could not deny that he needed money, and this was the best deal he could have ever been offered. He would finally get to become famous for a few days and learn about the life of someone like Sandro. Hero had no choice but to agree to chop off his long hair and hide his tattoos to fit into the role. Hero was a grounded man, and at times, he found it difficult to pretend to be the arrogant man that Sandro was. With time, he got used to the privileges that came with being a celebrated musician, but his best friend reminded him that this was not his life and that it was only a job that he was being paid to do. It was important for Hero to remain the man he used to be and not turn into the mess that Sandro was. People close to Sandro were surprised to watch him refuse to consume alcohol and party late into the night. He did seem like a different man, but everyone welcomed the change with open arms.
Why did Hero have to distance himself from Lulli?
Hero’s dream of being welcomed by his fans came true when he visited Nova Esperanca. He was introduced to Mayor Bento, his wife, the first lady, Matilde, and their daughter Lulli. Agnaldo had not warned Hero that Sandro and Lulli shared a past, and Hero was a little surprised when the young woman showed no interest in him. Hero was attracted to her the minute they were introduced, but he found it difficult to break the ice with her. During lunch, Lulli was shocked to find out that Sandro was on a detox. He was an alcoholic, and she never thought he would change his ways. She continued to pull his leg by asking him to wake up early the next morning to head to Pantanal, but surprisingly, Sandro had no problem with the timing. Hero was ready to agree to anything Lulli said to impress her, but she continued to push him away. He did not know much about Sandro and Lulli’s relationship, but he could guess that he had hurt her badly.
Lulli liked the man Sandro had become, but she was not ready to forgive him yet. She doubted his intentions because he was the one who had broken her heart before. Hero tried to apologize for the mistake Sandro had made, but he realized that Sandro had betrayed her trust, and a mere apology could not fix it. Sandro developed a sexual relationship with Lulli’s best friend, and after he left her, she became the joke of her hometown. Lulli refused to put herself in a similar position once again, and that was why she stayed away from him. The situation between Hero and Lulli improved after everyone on the crew begged her to feature in Sandro’s music video. There was a spark between the two, and Lulli could not deny that Sandro (Hero) made her heart race. Their bond improved as they traveled from the village to the city on horseback. Lulli started to accept that Sandro had transformed into a true gentleman—his arrogance was gone, his creativity had improved, and he had learned to respect others. She could not help but fall in love with him.
Hero was deeply in love, but because of the contract he had signed, he could not confess the truth. During their travels, they ended up sharing a kiss, but Hero pulled himself away. He could not commit to her without her knowing that he was not Sandro. He did not wish their relationship to start with lies, and it ended up creating a distance between him and Lulli. She was all the more devastated when she came across a picture of him and Isabela Falcao that was being circulated on social media. She was disappointed in herself for allowing Sandro to break her heart all over again.
What was Jacques’ plan?
While Hero was busy traveling from the countryside to the city, Sandro came out of a coma. Hero was shocked when he was told that Sandro had no idea that an impersonator had taken over his life. Jacques was a greedy man, and when he saw that Hero was more disciplined and talented than Sandro, he suggested that Hero permanently become Sandro Sanderlei. Jacques had a hunch that Hero was the next big thing after he successfully created music, blending the country and rock genres and creating something completely new. Jacques planned to pay the original Sandro enough money to change his face and his name and start his life all over again. He wanted Hero to sign a contract with him for twelve albums in eight years, but he had to continue to impersonate Sandro. Algando protested against the identity theft, but Jacques warned him that he, too, would be in trouble if he dared to involve the police. Hero agreed to sign the deal, and Jacques assumed that his plan had succeeded.
Panca was surprised when he found out Hero had agreed to the deal. He trusted his best friend and found it difficult to accept that Hero would continue living a lie. Panca was right; Hero had fooled Jacques. He signed the contract, but not as Hero but as Sandro, and naturally because he had faked the signature, the papers were completely worthless. Algando promised to use his contacts to help Hero record his own album.
Did Hero confess the truth to the public?
Hero wanted to confess the truth to everyone he came into contact with after he replaced Sandro. It was time that he took control of the situation instead of letting Jacque do whatever he pleased. Hero contacted the mayor and had his men kidnap Sandro from the hospital and bring him to the backstage area of the concert. Meanwhile, the mayor had a heartfelt conversation with his daughter, and it helped Lulli realize that she must listen to her heart even if the answer seemed wrong. Deep down, Lulli wanted to give Sandro (Hero) another chance, and she decided to attend the concert. Hero wanted to do everything right, and having his best friend by his side made him feel confident. Even after everything they had been through, Hero and Panca’s friendship remained the same.
A presenter from a gossip channel was invited to cover the concert. Hero’s plan was to make sure that the truth was not suppressed. There was only one problem: Sandro was not in his complete senses, making it impossible to bring him onstage. Thankfully, a ‘pick-me-up’ drink came in handy, and Sandro was back to his old form. Hero performed his original track onstage, and he dedicated the song to Lulli in front of a large audience. He had no reason to be afraid of proclaiming his love anymore.
During Zero to Hero‘s ending, Hero finally confessed the truth to his audience, and he invited the real Sandro onstage. He explained the reason why he impersonated Sandro, and Jacques was not happy about the truth coming out to the public. The entire episode was caught on camera, and Jacques had nowhere to escape. Sandro had nothing but love for and appreciation for Hero. It was Hero’s decision that helped him get his life back. Zero to Hero ends with Hero and Lulli making out backstage. Lulli held no grudge against him because she had doubted Sandro’s sudden change of behavior all along. She was glad that Hero was not afraid of telling the world that he was in love with her; this was the kind of relationship she had always been searching for. The film comes to an end on a happy note, with the lovers reuniting, the country musician getting his life back, and Hero finally getting the chance to start his own music career. In the strangest possible way, everything eventually worked out.
