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Before Night Falls Customer Reviews (19 - 21 of 25 Reviews)

Very Powerful Filmmaking
Based on the memoirs of the late gay Cuban poet/author Reinaldo Arenas, "Before Night Falls" is a lengthy, depressing, yet brutally realistic film on the life Arenas before, during, and after the Cuban Revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power. Starting with his childhood in rural Holguin, Cuba, the film covers every aspect of Arenas' upbringing, his attraction to men, and his run-ins with revolutionary agents as he became one of the island nation's most prominent writers.

Arenas, portrayed excellently by Spanish actor Javier Bardem, sees his life change dramatically, first from what he believes will become a promising age of development after the ruthless Batista regime is toppled by Castro's forces, to later a life of living in fear and hiding as he is blacklisted due to his writings and homosexuality by the new regime's ideological police.

As the film progresses, we see how Arenas deals with the repression of the regime in it's early days, and his persecution for his writings, many that were smuggled out of Cuba by French sympathizers of Arenas's work. Later arrested for a crime that he didn't commit, Arenas finds himself a fugitive living in Cuba, until he is arrested and sent to a Cuban prison before his eventual departure from the island in the Mariel Boatlift of the late 1970's

The film, which is one of the most powerful pieces of filmmaking I have seen in recent years, was directed with style and respect by Julian Schnabel. The film, which is a pioneer to the sense of the many visuals of the male anatomy/body used to illustrate this story of growing up gay in Castro's Cuba might disturb some people who are not accustomed in seeing this on the silver screen and/or gay sexuality. However, this shouldn't be a reason in not seeing this film.

Many excellent actors lend their talent to this, most notably Johnny Depp ("Edward Scissorhands") in a dual role as a prison manager and as a drag queen entertainer at the prison. Also contributing his immense talent is Sean Penn ("U-Turn") in a small role as a wagon driver who picks up a young Arenas on his way to fight in the Revolution. Also many fans of Latin telenovelas will recognize Cuban actor Francisco Gattorno ("Strawberry and Chocolate") in a rare English-language role as a French sympathizer who helps Arenas get his work published abroad in France.

Simply one of the best films of 2000, this is a must-see film for anyone interested in Cuba, it's people, or human rights. While many might see the Castro regime as a very repressive one, in fact the previous Batista regime was equally as ruthless with homosexuals, especially those in Cuba's high society. In the past decade, Castro has allowed greater freedom for homosexuals, so much that the Cuban government funded the Academy-Award nominated for Best Foreign Film, "Strawberry & Chocolate") back in the early 1990's.

One of the best films of 2000! I highly recommend it.

Transports You
"Before Night Falls" recounts the incredible life of Cuban poet and novelist Reinaldo Arenas, played with great sensitivity by Spanish actor Javier Bardem. Born a peasant in the 1930's, Arenas had the great misfortune of being a gay writer in a country that considered art and homosexuality to be counter-revolutionary. "Before Night Falls" is based on his memoir and relates his imprisonment in Cuba and subsequent exodus to the United States. Despite this persecution, Arenas' work flourished and was published widely, albeit mostly outside of Cuba.

Director Julian Schnabel is a well-known "neo-expressionist" painter; accordingly, he is able to bring an artist's understanding and sensibility to the story. His prior film was "Basquiat," about the 1980's graffiti artist. Although Schnabel seems to be limiting himself to portraits of artists, the two films are very disparate. Specifically, "Before Night Falls" is much grander in scope and incorporates more directorial flourishes than does "Basquiat." Despite the epic sweep of the film, Schnabel successfully tells Arenas' very personal and heart-rending story. Another major asset of the film is the cinematography and ambiance; vibrant colors and people populate the film. The viewer is transported to 1960s Cuba; you can feel the humidity and the pulse of the Mambo music.

Javier Bardem gives an astonishing performance, for which he deservedly received Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor. For the role, he was required to learn Cuban-Spanish as well as English. The DVD extras include a 7 minute interview with Arenas, and it's apparent that Bardem nails the look and speech of the artist, without reverting to a simple impersonation. Although most of the actors are of Latin descent, two big American stars have small roles: Johnny Depp has hilarious joint roles as a Cuban transvestite and a Cuban general, and Sean Penn plays a peasant farmer, rather convincingly too. The only minor debit of the film is that it's a tad over-long and could have used a bit more editing. However, overall, "Before Night Falls" is a superb film that perfectly captures another time and another place. Most highly recommended.

Extras: The extras include an interesting commentary track with Schnabel and Bardem, a short behind-the-scenes documentary filmed by Schnabel's daughter, and an interview with Arenas conducted in 1984 after he immigrated to the U.S.

One of 2000's finest
Although "Before Night Falls" is a biographical picture, it does not feel like one. It does not have a pressing sense of accuracy, nor is there a chronologically coherent narrative. It's a film that explores the life of an artist, but filters everything through a perspective which leaves the viewer to ponder and establish his or her own conclusions. "Before Night Falls" is not something one would watch for entertainment, a characteristic that automatically divides people. To me, this was one of the most intellectually provocative and emotionally stirring films I'd seen in quite some time, and it's only elevated by the altogether remarkable performance of Javier Bardem. Unlike most movies based on real people's lives, this ones floats seamlessly through memories, dreams and reality. It unfolds with both the engrossing ambiguity of a poem, and the stark realism of a documentary. "Before Night Falls" essentially examines the journey of Reinaldo Arenas, and illustrates his growth as an artist, but also more poignantly, as a human being trying to find solace amidst the callous world around him. The film's glimpse into Cuba's revolution and the crippling effect it had on the "outsiders" only deepens the power of Reinaldo Arena's tumultuous quest to fulfill his dreams. The fragmented quality of the film never really lets the narrative or it's charaters become entirely focused, but the vibrant immediacy of the images, sounds and dialogue gradually builds an emotional resonance, leading to a quietly devastating conclusion.(My only complaint is the occasionally awkward and rambling structural fashion of the story.) If there is one aspect that holds everything together, though, it's the central performer himself, Javier Bardem. Rarely have I seen an actor embody a role with such sensitivity and compassion, Bardem renders the shadowy figure of Reinaldo Arenas and infuses him with life in every scene. It's just a shame that the Academy couldn't recognize the superiority of his performance. On the whole, though, "Before Night Falls" is a haunting evocation of one man's struggle to eternalize the flame which society tried to extinguish. It's also a motion picture that reminds us of how film-making can be shaped into a form of artistry.

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