The Lost City (2005) User Reviews

Misses the real story of Cuba

[lastliberal · 6/10 · 7 November 2007]

Watching this film, I am so reminded of Casablanca. Like Rick, Fico Fellove (Andy Garcia) is seemingly oblivious to the oppression and evil that surrounds him, only concerned with running his nightclub. Unlike Rick, Fico never changes and only connects with the enemy to save his brother or his friend.

The movie is just too darn pretty. It presents a Cuba that may be familiar to the upper class and the rich American tourists, and neglects to mention the Cuba that demanded a revolution. This Cuba, one of poor, uneducated peasants that were in virtual slavery on sugar and tobacco plantations and women who sold themselves to tourists, is seen only in Mikhail Kalatozov's Soy Cuba, which will be released in a deluxe edition this month.

The movie worth watching for Garcia's performance and the performances of Dustin Hoffman, Bill Murray, and Elizabeth Peña, as well as some great Afro-Cuban music.

It probably did great box office in Miami.

Andy García's work of love and courage

[mediatext · 8/10 · 4 May 2006]

Critics all over have trashed this movie on account on its politics, angry at the way García has depicted Che Guevara as the real murderer he was, at the way he has portrayed the profound injustices and oppression of Fidel Castro's regime, at the way it does not conform to the sympathetic view Hollywood has always had about the Cuban Revolution. The movie suffers sometimes from the inexperienced hand of a first-time director, the lack of the epic budget it needed, and the poor acting of Inés Sastre but it is not a bad movie, not at all. It's an extremely entertaining film that uses its modest resources with great care to give us a dignified, sincere, notably balanced and very emotional document of the terrible experience of the Cuban people. Don't believe the extremely biased reviews of The New York Times, The New Yorker, and other media. Go and see it. Music lovers will enjoy a splendid mix of popular and classical Cuban music, and a great original score which will make a nice CD.

Andy Garcia's Bittersweet Valentine To Cuba

[george.schmidt · 8/10 · 8 May 2006]

THE LOST CITY (2006) *** Andy Garcia, Ines Sastre, Tomas Milian, Enrique Murciano, Bill Murray, Dustin Hoffman, Millie Perkins, Nestor Carbonell, Steven Bauer, Richard Bradford, Dominik Garcia-Lorido, Julio Oscar Mechosa, Juan Fernandez, Elizabeth Pena, William Marquez, Tony Plana, (Dir: Garcia)

Andy Garcia's Bittersweet Valentine To Cuba

Andy Garcia has always been a favorite of mine to watch on screen, with his fiery, impassionate no-holds-barred, cool-as-a-cucumber performances with both excessive and implosive turns and his passion is now on full display in his directorial debut, a valentine to his beloved homeland Cuba.

Garcia stars as Fico Fellove, a nightclub owner and musician in Havana, circa 1958, on the cusp of the Cuban revolution and a drastic turn of historical events that will forever change his heart and soul.

The ones that possess and fight for both of these are namely his loving family led by the patriarchal Federico (Milian), a good man of professorial status at the university and his caring wife Dona Cecilia (Perkins), who still insist their family meet for Sunday dinners promptly at six o'clock with no excuses. Those providing the turmoil are his brothers Luis and Ricardo (Carbonell and Murciano respectively) who consistently are chomping at the bit with their disputes about the impending revolution and the desire to remain a patriot despite the odds of Communism infiltrating the masses. Fico remains the peacekeeper and will not tolerate any disrespect towards his decent-hearted father but the dam will only hold for so long as the siblings go their separate ways.

When Luis is killed in an attempted coup-de-tat assassination on loathed Presidente Batista (Fernandez) Fico can only see the writing on the wall when he allows his heart to open to Luis' widow, the beautiful Aurora (Sastre); the two fall in love and marry. Shortly thereafter things get worse when Ricardo has fled to the deep jungles of the covert military ops of Fidel Castro after he was arrested and beaten by the corrupt chief of police, the vile hand crop bearing Colonel Candela (Mechosa) who has slain Luis. Fico knows this but is powerless to do anything, which makes the tragedy unfolding even more devastating for him to burden himself with.

Garcia does an admirable job in capturing the flavor of the late 1950s look of the imbroglio-to-be with an elegant production design created by Waldemar Kalinowski and gorgeous cinematography by Emmanuel Kadosh that does justice to his ideal yet struggling nation under fire. The surprisingly literate screenplay by G. Cabrera Infante is an informative although fictitious timeline of events potboiling but the simmering, languid pacing deserves a heavy edit with its lethargic run time of nearly two and a half hours. It is obvious Garcia is focused on how things are to be depicted and it is remarkable in this seven year labor of love finally has emerged but there is a somewhat uneven tone throughout in deciding to be a "Casablanca" tinged melodrama or a "Godfather" wannabe with its sprawling plot lines and economy with words. Although I love Bill Murray, his unnamed "Writer", is a court jester ham bone comic sidekick that is at times a tad distracting; oh who am I kidding - I loved him! His entrance alone is worth the price of admission in a seersucker suit (trousers altered to shorts for the humid climes) and a panama hat.

Although the aspirations of Garcia is a mixed crazy quilt of political intonations and soul-searching empathy he should be proud of delivering something that means something if not to the audience than to himself.

Very touching

[jinyc · 1 May 2006]

As an AmeriCuban who remembers her visits to Cuba as a small child, I was very touched to see on screen the Cuba that I knew was not just in my dreams.

What an excellent job in picking places that can make you really think it was filmed in Havana! You can feel as if you are really there! There are those who wonder how Andy Garcia could have portrayed Cuba so realistically when he left the island as a 5 year old child. But it is at those very young tender years that impressions are made that stay throughout ones lives. My early trips to Cuba have remained very vivid in my mind. I understand him so well.

You can feel that he put his all in this movie. Countless Cubans can relate to the story that is told. What a heart-wrenching moment when he leaves Cuba and his only keepsake is taken away from him! How many Cubans must have passed through this same scene?

The music warmed my soul. I would listen to it over and over.

And that last scene! well, I don't want to give it away. You have to see it.

Pelicula Vieja

[derbyhandicap · 6/10 · 29 January 2007]

The directing and acting was border line good at best. The characters were too casual and cartoonish. Bill Murray as the "Writer" provided the wit and Dustin Hoffman's "Meyer Lansky" was the comic relief. The location shots, wardrobe, music, make-up and coloring held my interest for the two hours. I must point out, the eloquent cadence by Che and his rebels, how profound. I'm guessing this is how they would've came across, if English were a first language (I may be wrong, though). I was bit peeved with the English and Spanish exchanges toward the latter half of the movie, it was half-ass and misleading.

The film is a romanticized version of the revolution and nothing more. I, at first was a bit disappointed but soon realized the film should be viewed under the same principles as a musical. I was hoping Fico and Che were gonna uphold my wishes by performing a musical soliloquy declaring their deepest desires for Aurora (Court yard scene would have made sense). Let's just say that never came about. Nonetheless, Che did make a good one hand catch with the Champagne glass. His hands could've been better used at third base. I hope that wasn't edited because then my vision of Che at the hot corner would be tarnished.

So what if the film was fluff and not worth three croquetas de hamon? It's a fantasy through the eyes of one director and I'm sure if Andy could've done it again, music would have been at the forefront.

Do it again Andy and let's see Fidel do a number with the pigeon. Libertad! Libertad! Libertad!

A Long Look at Losing Havanna

[mandy-1 · 7/10 · 13 June 2006]

The music is great, of course, it is Cuba. The costumes are beautiful; so are the women and the men. Worth a look though for it's style and feel of the glamor that was Havana, the physical warmth and affection that lives in Cuban families and it's interesting anti-Castro portrayal of events. It even challenges the hero status of Che Guevara.

But Andy Garcia's tale of a wealthy family coming apart like this lovely island during the Cuban revolution suffers from the self-indulgence that so often weakens the work of writer/director/producer combos. Who is going to say, "Andy, enough of those close-ups of you looking longingly at your lost loves? After about an hour and a half, we sure wish someone would! It leaves me wondering why, with all Cuba has gone through, our government continues to punish Cubans with economic sanctions that do no harm to Castro, but keep the Cubans from thriving from their hard hard work and record breaking high literacy rates.

Beautiful!

[ricjalonso · 10/10 · 30 April 2006]

As an American of Cuban parents, I had always heard the political rhetoric about Cuba as I was growing up. All the while I longed to see this beautiful island which my parents sadly left behind. Though Andy Carcia's film was not filmed in Cuba (it was filmed in the Dominican Republic) it gave me a chance to see a "Cuba" I had only heard about. As for the film itself, the conflicts of family, politics and love in the film is beautifully portrayed to reflect what has been a painful truth to a great number of Cubans. I definitely recommend this to all, Cubans and non-Cubans alike. I hope Mr. Garcia gets due recognition for this beautiful body of work. By the way... Is there an accompanying soundtrack album? The music was phenomenal!

Good Story, Not Enough Editing

[sergmore04 · 7/10 · 28 April 2006]

The movie has a great story, and if you lived in Cuba during the late 50's and early 60's, you will be able to relate to it vividly. Both, my wife and I liked the movie but we felt it was too long. Andy Garcia could have done a better job editing this movie. The events were pretty accurately portrayed and there were many intense moments. Since I'm Cuban and my wife is Irish, I was able to relate to the historical part of the movie, while my wife had a lot of questions (what did the flag with the #26 represent?, what happened to the parents? etc...). I also felt Andy should have picked better songs for this movie. There was a lot of Afro-Cuban music, but not much cha-cha-cha, mambo, danzon, son, etc... which were typical type of music during that time, especially in cabarets. Overall, I gave it a 7 and my wife a 6.5.

It was worthwhile going to see this movie

[lawrenceraymond · 10/10 · 2 May 2006]

An excellent movie with a small budget. Andy did a wonderful job on his first attempt. I am sure we will see more of him as a producer. Of course there is room for improvement and I think that if he concentrates in the details of the production without having to act at the same time we will probably see this improvement in his next work.

I liked the music specially the showman that portrayed Benny More. Also the choreography was very good and the dancers where spectacular, in particular the fellow that participated as a solo. The guy playing the trumpet at the beginning and end of the movie was superb.

It gives an overall picture of the history from that period in the island nation and without being documentary it respects the motives and shortcomings of any historical process such as this one.

Thanks Andy for this movie, and keep up the good work.

Flawed but Remarkable

[grecianu · 7/10 · 17 January 2008]

'The Lost City' is a deeply flawed movie.

The characters are thin, the dialogue is often forced and some of the scenes are stereotypes (the assault on the palace, for instance).

But, I definitely would recommend it for some scenes that are so close to life, and so rarely seen in movies, as to make them remarkable.

One of these scenes is the saxophone scene. That scene, more than any other scene in modern cinema, summarizes what was wrong with communist regimes.

To make a long story short, drawing from the stories told to me by my parents (I only lived for four years in communism myself, then there was a revolution (of sorts) in my country), what really was wrong with communist times wasn't the repression. If you were careful and kept your head down, you never had to deal with it.

It wasn't even the corruption. You learned to get used to it, and simply became cynical.

It was the idiocy.

You couldn't avoid it, you couldn't become jaded to it, you couldn't help be affected by it...

It was the dumb slogans, the pointless - not even political - restrictions... the interdiction to play the saxophone...

Because of dystopian tales, people imagine the horrible is what shocks in a dictatorship. It isn't. People who live in a dictatorship don't spend their time and energy on politics... they worry about family, love, hobbies, etc...

The horrible, the purges and the persecutions, are simply remote. The idiocy (such as banning the saxophone), however, affects everyone and is what really bites.

Small details like this show that this was based on the writings of someone (Cabrera) who really knew what communism is like.

Other remarkable and rarely-seen scenes would include the emigration scene (true to life if ever it would be) or the scene right before emigration when Fico and his friends sit in their now closed bar celebrating Fico's departure.

As for the politics, an ex-pat from a former communist country like myself (albeit for economic rather than political reasons) is likely to be unsympathetic to Castro and his cronies, but let me just say that there are plenty of movies that exalt the Cuban revolution, it's nice to see both sides of the debate.

It is only fair, if Che can have 'The Motorcycle Diaries' to praise him, for there to be 'The Lost City' to show another side of him.

That 'The Lost City' is (AFAIK) the only movie made by a Cuban ex-pat based on the writings of a Cuban ex-pat about the Cuban revolution speaks volumes...

P.S. About Bill Murray's character, I think he was CIA. Think about it, an American citizen comes in, stays long after his welcome would be worn out as far as the regime goes, and leaves only after his friend does (so he obviously didn't stay out of loyalty)...

Visually beautiful, maybe accurate historically, but a lousy script.

[birck · 5/10 · 17 September 2006]

I had hoped for better from Andy Garcia. The general idea is a good one: a quick look at the forces motivating the Cuban middle class to flee the island in the late 50's-mostly for the US, shown in terms of the disintegration of one upper-class Cuban family. But the dialogue is utilitarian and not much more, the characters are predictable, and what on earth was Bill Murray doing in it? He seems to be a sort of American clown visible only to Andy Garcia's character, like Harvey the giant rabbit. There are memorable visual moments in it, like the acres of white canopied tobacco plantation, with towering palm trees protruding; or Castro's guerrillas materializing out of the head-high sawgrass to intercept a mounted volunteer, or those great moody night shots along the Havana corniche. But the script is flat. It doesn't amplify the characters, and it barely advances the story. Judging by the comments preceding mine, I guess that my problem is that I'm not of Cuban extraction. I like well-made films, not films that stroke my particular political sensitivities, as this film seems to do for some viewers. THE definitive film about the Cuban revolution and/or the Cuban exodus and diaspora has yet to be made.

Perfection

[Cuban_Tyler_Durden · 10/10 · 23 April 2006]

That is the one word that can describe this movie. This film truly gives a remarkable portrayal of the events leading up and after to the Castro Revolultion. This is a labor of love for a Cuban-American actor, writer, and director for all his people and should be appreciated by the masses. While it discusses a political rhetoric, it is complemented by a painful love story between a man, his brothers, his parents, and the woman of his life. Even for people who know extensively of the history of Cuba, this is definitely something worth seeing for aesthetic reasons as well. Andy Garcia has done a remarkable piece of work and a great homage to the Cuban people. As a Cuban-Colombian-American living in Miami, this film means a lot to me and to many others. !Viva una Cuba libre!

some beautiful cinematography and some terrible writing

[sarahlucas-1 · 6/10 · 25 August 2006]

This movie definitely has some strong points. There is some stunning cinematography and a few amazing sequences that depict quite beautifully the trauma of the revolution on one Cuban family...But OH MY GOD, some of the writing is just awful, especially for female characters. The female characters are so two dimensional, shallow and unbelievable. I found myself rolling my eyes throughout the movie at the words uttered by and to them "You don't have to be sad, you just have to be beautiful."...or something like that. Terrible. The plot is also quite disjointed and awkward and it goes on too long. I am on the verge of saying don't bother seeing this movie, but for the few strengths mentioned earlier it is probably worth checking out.

Heartfelt but badly flawed

[JoeytheBrit · 5/10 · 22 June 2009]

One day someone is going to make a decent film about the Cuban revolution, but in the meantime we will have to put up with half-baked efforts like this and Havana.

There is no doubting the earnestness of actor-director Andy Garcia's convictions but what we basically have here is an overlong and rather dull vanity project. Garcia plays Fico, an affluent nightclub owner who finds his family and life slowly disintegrating in the midst of the events leading up to - and consequences of - Fidel Castro's Cuban revolution. Long, deliberately-paced films are usually that way to establish a number of characters in depth and to lure the viewer into investing their sympathy and concern for these characters. But this film seems to take forever to tell us very little about Garcia's Fico or any other members of his family. Garcia looks perpetually miserable and seems to be trying to imitate Al Pacino in the Godfather movies, while the film itself seems to be trying to establish an epic sweep that it completely fails to achieve.

The film looks and sounds terrific, but Garcia isn't a great, or even particularly accomplished director. And what exactly is the purpose of Bill Murray's character? He's supposed to be a writer with an infectious sense of humour but he rarely says anything funny despite the reactions of other characters, and his presence adds nothing to the plot. Similarly, Dustin Hoffman pops in for a couple of meaningless scenes as Meyer Lansky which wouldn't be missed if they were removed.

This is your brain on drugs

[james_jones · 7 April 2010]

What are you ex-patriots smoking? Andy Garcia is a b-movie actor, with minimal talent and all of this shows in his embarrassing opus from a narrow minded, spoiled rich kid from Miami. Hold this film up to Walter Salles' Motorcycle Diaries and lets see which film wilts in the light of day. Bill Murray, Dustin Hoffman look awkwardly out of place. And everyone's speaking English?! WTF! Many things have been said about Ernesto Guevara, but Garcia carelessly passes him off as a bloodthirsty tyrant. This was not the depiction I felt after seeing the better film released a year before that portrays a thoughtful medical student who was determined to blur the lines drawing up North, South and Central America. Like I said, This is your Brain (Motorcycle Diaries)and This is your brain on Drugs (Lost City).

It's Actually Pretty Good -- Bad Reviews Probably Political

[Danusha_Goska · 7/10 · 27 September 2007]

"Lost City" is actually a pretty good movie. Yeah, it has its problems, but it is not at all the giant turkey that reviewers insisted it was.

Problem? The movie depicts Che Guevara as less-than-saintly. Oh-so-politically correct reviewers can't have that! Look, Che liked to kill people, himself, with his own hands, without benefit of trial. That's amply documented. And that's the big secret this movie exposes.

What else have you got? "Lost City" is beautiful to look at. Even its detractors can't deny that. Want to look at some of the most beautiful people in the world, wearing gorgeous fashions from the late 1950s, and black Cubans, all in white, channeling African deities as they achieve trance state? There are turquoise waters, sandy beaches, forested mountains and a tobacco plantation.

Speaking of beauty, Nestor Carbonell and Ines Sastre are two of the most beautiful people alive today, and you get to ogle them here.

The soundtrack is out-of-this-world terrific. You can't second guess Andy Garcia's taste in Cuban music. The combination of music and scenes is intriguing.

Bill Murray as a expat American writer / comedian is one of the most interesting characters I've ever seen in a movie. I never was sure if he was a real person or Garcia / Fico's imaginary friend and secret sharer, sort of like a character whose identity I won't spoil for you in "A Beautiful Mind." Dustin Hoffman is always great, and he's an interesting Meyer Lansky, going on about "beshert" (destiny) and egg cream recipes. Ah, the glory days of organized crime.

There are a couple of really memorable scenes: Che Guevara arising out of a green field in the Sierra Maestra, his men arising behind him; a noble man dies in a scene that is an obvious homage to Wajda's "Ashes and Diamonds." I wonder if Garcia was embedding a political message in that homage -- "Ashes and Diamonds" also depicts a morally comprised world of shifting historical tectonic plates, where taking any stand is an iffy proposition.

The best scene in the movie occurs when heroes of the revolution take a firm stand against saxophones. This one scene is worth the price of admission.

The woman who leads the charge against saxophones is so perfect in her ugly righteousness, she could be a multiculti professor on an American campus. If you've been on an American campus lately, you know what I mean.

I've lived under communism -- have you? Have the folks who panned this movie? Listen, it's really like that -- just like that saxophone scene. And worse. Don't believe me? Go. Right now. Check it out. Write me. And, no, right wing dictatorships are no better, and "Lost City" provides a very brutal portrait of Batista and his thugs. What gets me is that American critics seem to think that when Che shoots you dead it feels better than when Batista shoots you dead. And that's just wrong.

Okay, so the movie is not perfect. The romantic leads have no chemistry. You can be beautiful and still not generate a lot of heat. Andy Garcia, as a director, is not Orson Welles; he's not John ford. But then, who is? There are a lot of characters and subplots. At one minute Meyer Lansky is walking into a room; the next minute a beautiful woman trailing the threads of a whole 'nother subplot comes walking in -- it doesn't all hang together.

After a while I just surrendered to Andy Garcia's passion. This movie is so obviously his labor of love, and there are much worse things a movie could be.

I wish this movie could have been an eight, or a nine, or a ten, but it's certainly not a 2.5, its Rotten Tomatoes' rating. "Lost City" is at least a seven, just like "I Am Cuba," another beautiful, flawed movie -- but one critics champion, because in that one, Fidel is heroic. Check it out.

But do give "Lost City", and the people of Cuba, a chance.

What -- no Cuba Libres?

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 15 June 2008]

Andy Garcia is the apolitical, upper-middle class owner of a nightclub in Havana who finds himself in the middle of Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution, which divides his family and finally drives him in exile to New York.

It's a long, languid movie, focusing as much on family and love as on politics. It's punctuated by occasional bouts of violence, but not the kind that might satisfy an audience of action-movie aficionados. Most of the bodies we see punctured are not nameless heavies but people we know. The ones who are nameless are mainly hapless victims of the revolution. The executions are from newsreel footage and not very exciting or fun to look at.

I can put up with the movie's slow tempo for a number of reasons. One is that it matches Andy Garcia's gradual realization that one form of tyranny (Fulgencio Batista's) has been replaced by another (Fidel Castro's). Under Batista's dictatorship, people are murdered and robbed, and Havana seems to be under the thumb of the Mafia, Meyer Lanksy (Dustin Hoffman), and United Fruit Company. Under Castro's dictatorship, people are murdered and robbed, and in an excess of zeal everything seems to be appropriated by the state -- from vast plantations to the use of the saxophone in Garcia's orchestra. (The saxophone was invented by a Belgian named Sax, and the Belgians were notorious colonialists.) As absurd as it may sound, I believe it without having to look it up. Think the saxophobia is too crazy to be true? Google "freedom fries".

Another reason I put up with the slowness is that the writers appear to be sincere beyond belief, with their convictions sometimes being expressed in images and voice overs that descend into the obvious or even into the not-so-alien corny. The movie sometimes seems aimed not so much at a worldwide audience but at the refugees from Castro's tyranny, encouraging an nonconstructive sense of victimhood. I doubt that the Cuban-American refugees need to be reminded of their mistreatment under Castro. They were mostly middle- and upper-class who wound up in Miami or the big cities of the North after being stripped of their material possessions. The clobbering they took was real enough to be memorable and extremely distressing. And no relief in sight -- "Who needs elections?", asked Castro rhetorically, "The people have already voted." As one of the victims, the young daughter of a doctor, put it to me, "We had to fled." You would have fled too if you'd had anything to lose by staying.

Not that Batista wasn't a murderous thug, not much different from Saddam Hussein, though the US supported Batista and opposed Castro. An explosion destroys part of Garcia's nightclub, killing his prima ballerina (Lorena Feijoo). I hated that scene. I always hate to see ballerinas get blown up. Especially girlishly beautiful and more than moderately supple ballerinas like Feijoo. I don't like to see ANY dancers blown up. Except maybe Tommy Tune -- and him only because of his name.

The score is outstanding, mostly coming out of the orchestra in Garcia's club -- Habanero pop tunes and dreamy love songs, but not particularly dumb. And sometimes Garcia sits at his piano and tickles out pieces that resemble a Chopin notturno. The musical scenes make you feel like dancing or sucking up a Cuba Libre.

I have to add, too, that many of the cast members are Cubanos. Not just Garcia himself, but Steven Bauer is in here, and Lorena Feijoo, and Elizabeth Pena, among the better known of the performers. I wish Elizabeth Pena had had a more prominent role. I love the things she does with the English language. And add to it that she grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey. At a time -- in the 1960s -- when it was becoming increasingly dangerous to drive around in urban minority neighborhoods, the Cuban section of Elizabeth was invariably quiet and unobtrusively welcoming to aliens. You could buy a tiny cup of espresso for a nickel.

The movie shows us the Cuba of 50 years ago. The country has now entered a sociopolitical juncture, with Fidel stepping aside and the more relaxed Raoul taking the reins. We once sponsored an invasion of Cuba that failed miserably. The movie prompts the question of whether it might be time to adopt a different tack.

The Lost City

[ag_law-yara · 9/10 · 1 May 2006]

Born in 1962, in the mist of the turmoil, I left Cuba in 1967 thanks to the "Freedom Flights" at the age of 4. It was about time a film like this was done. I commend Andy Garcia and all involved for its historical accuracy. I am grateful for the "Ficos" of the time, like my parents. What courage and resolve. If history is not to be repeated, we must embrace it, learn from it, and not wash it from our memories. Incredible acting, music, scenery (thank you Dominican Republic). We need to remember "where we've been" so as to know "where we're going" - bring plenty of tissues; one box is just not enough. The only reason I gave it a 9, as opposed to a 10, is because I would have really liked to have seen some time dedicated to the family, specifically, the brothers, in their youth. The important relationship of the Cuban family would have been better understood if we had seen it from early on. The significance of the family nucleus, born of the parents' rearing, is crucial in the story of the Cubans. The relationship between the uncle and his nephews was synonymous with that but could have been further developed.

Lovingly made, reflecting the lyrical pain that is Cuba

[cestmoi2k · 7/10 · 16 August 2006]

A lyrical allegory for the loss of Cuba, of homeland, of family, of love, of hope and self-determination. For those of us who know Cuba, it captures the exquisite pain we feel and share amongst us. For those who have not tasted the bitter fruit of knowledge of the betrayal that is Castrismo, may this film give you a sense of this truth. Art conveying transcending reality.

Lush imagery. Phenomenal score. Very well acted. Runs a little long, but maybe that is meant as a reflection on the barbudos tendency to run on (and to stay in power much, but much too long).

Great movie!

[og0122 · 9/10 · 28 April 2006]

I think that for those who do not know what happened in Cuba during the revolution, this movie is a great film to watch (no matter what the critics believe). Not only do we learn how it happened, we also learn about the struggles of the Cuban people. As in a work of art, everything in this movie has meaning or significance. The story is real and is expressed with sentiment... a romantic, but also nostalgic feeling. Also, the movie captured many details of the Cuban culture (including family values). Finally, I'd like to add that to watch a movie about Cuba without the glamorizing of the revolution or any of its leaders is like a breath of fresh air. Andy Garcia is a genius!

Downfall of Batista, Rise of Castro. seen thru one families eyes

[jaybob · 7/10 · 7 March 2008]

Andy Garcia an actor of Cuban descent has crafted an interesting film,I wish it were a better movie however.

This is the story of a middle class family who runs a night club in Havana Cuba. We start towards the end of Batistas'reign & go thru the start of Castro's long reign, seen through the eyes of a middle class family that runs a night club.

The plot & Story we have seen many times before, Loving,,fighting brothers who are on different sides.A beautiful woman, marries to one brother & seeks the comfort of another brother when she is widowed.

Thankfully there are many night club scenes with excellent dancing & music. Many scenes however are quite violent, BUT also thankfully not excessive.

One other point in its favour, lack of nudity & or needless sex scenes.

NOW why did I wish it were a better movie then. ONE SIMPLE REASON its too darn long. 2 hours 23 minutes is about 25 minutes too long.

THe acting is good throughout, This was filmed in the Dominican Republic & the scenery is beautiful.

Dustin Hoffman has 2 short scenes as Meyer Lansky & is properly slinky slimy,as Lansky was. Bill Murray has another one of his undefined roles (as an unnamed writer) his lines are more or less the comic relief. Besides these 2 & Andy Garcia in the lead role, The only other person of note is Steven Bauer,A TV actor of 20 years back.

The movie had a short run in only about 50 or so theatres in 2006.

My rating is thumbs up,mainly cause of the musical numbers.

Ratings: *** (out of 4) 82 points (out of 100) IMDb 7 (out of 10)

People who gave more than one star to this stinker doesn't know what a good movie is.

[csarda1 · 1/10 · 3 December 2006]

First of all, I'm a Cuban, my father is a Cuban, so was my Grandfather.

And I despise Castro's regime.

One thing is to hate Castro's regime and another different thing is to say this movie is good.

I believe that people who gave more than one star to this poor turkey is speaking and writing out of political passion, not from a cinematic point of view.

I'm not going to criticize the poor and incomplete portrayal of the politics and reality of this movie,s vision of Cuba (I never saw a poor black guy or a Cane plantation worker in this movie, like Cuba was Disneyworld) This movie, AS A MOVIE, sucks donkey.

The main character is implausible, stereotypical and unreal (and bad acted to boot) First of all, is simply ridiculous that a Nightclub owner was the son of a intellectual University professor. Worse, a romantic night club owner with strong family principles and a passion for Classic Ballet!!.

In this lamentable parody of a movie, Garcia is a poor, pathetic and full of clichés caricature of a Puritan Casablanca's Bogart, better suited for films like AIRPLANE or SPY HARD.

Come on!!! Like it or not, EVERYBODY knows that, despite all the flamboyancy and quality of the spectacle, Pre-Castro Cuba's was a Maffia's paradise (As it was Las Vegas), and the Nightclubs were Luxury Bordellos with strong ties with the Maffia and any kind of Thugs and lowlifes (IF NOT DIRECTLY OWNED BY THEM), where, prostitution and illegal activities of all kinds were a commonplace.

And GAMBLING WAS ABSOLUTELY LEGAL IN PRE-CASTRO CUBA (still is in most of the Caribbean islands) so there was NO reason (other than pathetic soap opera moralism) for Fico to not fulfill Lansky's wishes.

The pathetic and unreal portrayal of a humble, nice and easy going Meyer Lansky is simply ridiculous.

The real Meyer Lansky was a though MAFIA BOSS, a ruthless murderer and one of the MOST powerful figures in Maffia's History, who didn't ask for favors.

In fact, He wouldn't had paid a personal visit to a stupid Club owner.

And NOBODY would say NO to Meyer Lansky so easily.

AH!! The Writer ( poorly played by a painfully miscast Bill Murray) is one of the most unnecessary, annoying and unfunny characters in cinema history since JAR JAR BINKS.

You take out Bill Murray's parts from this crappy movie and nobody wouldn't notice the smallest change.

This character has no impact at all in the entire movie, other than spitting unfunny and out of place one liners.

The "writer" is just annoying and unnecessary filler.

The rest of the characters are totally forgettable, severely undeveloped and incredibly unsympathetic.

There is no reason, background or origin for any of the character' s actions.

For example, Luis spouse (Ines Sastre) who played a simple wife who didn't show no political background, opinion or interest, who wasn't involved in any kind of political movement AT ALL who didn't know nothing about her husband's secret political activities during the entire film suddenly, out of nothing, in a blink of an eye becomes the quintessential symbol of Castro's revolution and his most powerful advocate, just because she was the wife of an "in the closet" revolutionary.

Pathetic.

The weak stories never gets to a developed state.

Ther is no conclusive moments. All the movie looks like a perennial first chapter of a very boring soap opera To worsen things, the movie is excruciatingly long and slow.

Special mention has to be made to Eduardo's revolutionary beard, a Landmark in the annals of the cheap looking make-up art in film history, only found in B or Z movies.

It looks like a cheap Halloween "werewolf" beard from PARTY CITY.

The only OK (Not fantastic, just OK) thing about this movie is the photography.

The Music was great.

But this was a MOVIE, not a CONCERT.

EEEEECH!! The Dialog!!! What can I say? There is one scene in which the conversation looks like it was entirely made out of SLOGANS and phrases taken from a clichéd political campaign scrapbook.

I'm sorry Andy, but your labor of love SUCKS.

Maybe next time.

A most see film about the struggles of a Cuban family

[aleidaco · 10/10 · 30 April 2006]

As a Cuban Americans living in the USA since 1960, due to Castro's revolutions in Cuba, we are very proud of this movie and Andy Garcia's work and effort. We highly recommend this film; because for the first time that there is finally a movie that depicts the reality of Castro's revolution. A most see film about the catastrophic effects of Castro's Revolution in the Cuban family. Plus the fact that the cast, music, and directing are superb !!.Beautiful settings and photography. Andy deserves a sound track Oscar nomination for the well perform and coordinated music that clearly represents the rich and influential music of the period. Thank you to, Andy, Dustin, Steven, Bill, Enrique, Nestor and everyone that made this film possible.

The culture and people of a city and time lost

[SimonJack · 7/10 · 4 March 2015]

An interesting film by Andy Garcia that looks back on the Havana that was. Garcia was only five years old when his family fled Cuba in 1961 after the 1959 revolution and Fidel Castro's takeover. "The Lost City" is a nostalgic tribute to his homeland and especially Havana and its musical culture. In a bonus short with this film on DVD, Garcia explains that most people who have had to leave their homelands forcefully always have a longing, a connection with it. That applies to emigrants forced out and those who fled the persecution of oppressive governments. And, children of emigrants as well, he says.

This film was some 16 years in the planning. Garcia assembled an excellent cast and craftsmen to produce the film, from the writing to the filming, locations and all aspects. He starred in it himself and also directed it. The shooting locations were in the Dominican Republic with its countryside, shoreline and buildings that are similar to those in Cuba.

This is a very good story about family, culture, love, loss, tragedy and freedom. It also is a window on the very beautiful music and culture that was Cuban and Havanan in the past. At the time Garcie made this film, Havana was in a terrible sate of decay. Efforts since have been made to save the city, but much of it is falling into ruin.

The film was made in English except for the songs. I don't speak Spanish, so I appreciated the English sub-titles for the music, since the lyrics of the songs are a great deal about the people and culture.

This movie is about the communist takeover of Cuba, and how it affects a Cuban nightclub owner and his family.

[jewltoned · 2/10 · 29 May 2006]

I hate to do this, because so much effort went into this movie, but I feel like I need to warn people: This movie is awful!! True, the scenes in the club are great, but the plot is laborious and the characters are unsympathetic and the director treats his audience like a kindergarten classroom. "CASTRO = BAD. Here's 16+ scenes of the communists doing bad things so that you'll get the point! Still don't get it? We'll have Che laugh maliciously just to hit the point home."

Also, the dialogue is reminiscent of Star Wars, Episode III. The lucky movie-goer will get to witness at least five scenes between totally uninteresting people where the conversation goes something like this:

"I love you"

"I love you too. *kiss* But we can never go back to the way we were."

"Why?"

"Because - things have changed."

"I know"

"I'll always love you."

*single tear* "Goodbye, so and so"

Anyway, it's really awful. Don't see it. Just buy the soundtrack.