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Havana Reviews
One of the most enjoyable movies I have ever seen.
Super Disappointed that how underwhelming and not good this is. The acting is actually one of the only consistent things with this. It's good throughout with solid chemistry between the two leads with Redford being the best thing in this. He is consistently good. In addition, the Cinematography is well done also with well framed shots and nice sets and locations. And that sums up this films main problem really well, every scene is well shot and well acted but the problem is when you start putting it together it doesn't form a strong cohesive story. The editing is Bad in this because it loses focus by a huge amount in the middle. Is this Jack's Story about his gambling? Is it about the Civil War? Havana? The Love Interest? This film never is able to strike a consistent tone. And that leads to really bad pacing. This film NEVER builds any tension or emotional investment despite the good acting because it never forms a cohesive story because of the lack of focus and just moves at a SUPER slow pace because its bloated with too many scenes and just sort of ends. I expected a lot of action with the fall of the regime but it just ended. If this would've had a significant amount of scenes cut and had more action instead of slow expose love scenes than this could have been significantly better because the plot isn't flawed it's just really lacking any focus and pacing. Skip This It's Not Good.
Always been one of my favorite movies. While Redford was admittedly advanced for the part, his grizzled, worn and weary vibe still fit the aims and ambitions of the character, Jack Weil. Taking place in a time and era very much in flux, I thought the movie did an amazing job balancing the political and social intrigue of the time with the romance at the heart of the movie. While the world shifts under their feet, following devastating events for Bobby and opposing Weil's ultimate goal at untold riches, their undeniable attraction provides them a glimpse to something greater than they'd ever considered before. Somewhat of a history buff, I believe we can legitimately look back at these last days of 1959 in Cuba as a lynchpin for everything that followed, starting when Castro scared President Batista off on his plane, changing history forever. In the end, these are two people finding themselves in the middle of something so much bigger than themselves, and this movie allows you to follow their story as they make their way through it. Many say this is simply a rip-off of Bogart and Bergman's Casablanca. If that's the standard the film has been raised to, well, they can take that as the ultimate compliment.
Boring and unromantic.
Sydney Pollack, Robert Redford. The critical reviews are hogwash. Great show. Doesn't pander to the inexperienced.
Robert Redford looks a bit weathered in this one, but less weathered when he takes on 2 American foxes half his age in a menage a trois after viewing a Live Sex show in downtown Havana. This seems out of sorts in a Redford movie, I mean the soft porn angle, but all goes back on track in Gatsby-like fashion when he falls for the sultry Bobby character played by the former beauty queen Lena Olin. The director seems fascinated with Olin's smoldering eyes and pouty lips because the close-ups come fast and furious. Is this a match made in Heaven? The meandering script makes me thing "What in the World is Going On?" as I try to dig into memory banks about what exactly went on in the Bay of Pigs and how is what I'm seeing related. I fear the script is flawed historically, and why have the Cubans of Wealth and power suddenly not scrambling around after Bautista flees when Fidel takes control Havana? This flick has a few good moments but disappoints overall and is somewhat boring.
During Castro's regime, an American gambler falls in love with a revolutionaries wife. Well acted if not long and sloppily directed.
Directed by Sydney Pollack, (The Way We Were (1973), The Electric Horseman (1979) and Tootsie (1982)), this was Pollack's follow-up to his multi-Oscar winning Out of Africa (1985), but he had struggled to find an ideal follow-up to it, however he found this tale of a gambler set against the backdrop of the Cuban Revolution as one with potential. But it does drag in places, despite good intentions. On Christmas Eve, 1958. Professional gambler Jack Weil (Robert Redford) comes to Havana, Cuba on a boat from Miami with the intentions of gambling, but he's also been asked by Roberta Duran (Lena Olin), to smuggle in U.S. Army Signal Corps radios for the Cuban revolutionaries. Roberta's husband Arturo (Raúl Juliá) is a key figure in the revolution, but he is keeping his agenda very hush-hush, Arturo originally wants Weil to raise money for the revolution through gambling, which Weil refuses to do. He soon finds himself in a game of espionage, where there's a lot of betrayal going on, and he's got a big high stakes poker game planned with Havana's elite. It has good intentions, and a good cast too, but it was a difficult production for all concerned and it shows, despite a good score by Dave Grusin and sun-snogged cinematography by Owen Roizman. But, that doesn't make for a classic film, it feels like the opposite of a passion project, a film made for the sake of it.
It was a visually beauty film and also the acting was for the most part good. It is similar to Casablanca in a lot of ways and I prefer this movie because of its in color.
Beautifully shot and scored, the impending revolution in Cuba swirls around in the background with romantic old Havana but if you're looking for a historical drama about the period of transition to the 1959 Castro regime, you will be disappointed. This film is a very personal story about the short-lived but intense relationship that unfolds between a professional gambler (Redford)and the beautiful Bobby Duran (Olin), wife of a revolutionary who is thought to have been killed. There is sustained dramatic tension throughout the movie as Jack Weil (Redford) reluctantly finds himself drawn into the politics of the brewing revolution. Nevertheless, the real power of the movie is the chemistry between Olin and Redford and the magnetic on-screen presence of Lena Olin as Bobby. "I was lost in a sweet moment" she tells Jack, and we are lost in Jack's fascination with her. Olin fills up the screen and our senses with her smouldering sensuality and we are lost in her, too. So here's the magic in Havana -- Lena Olin, Lena Olin, Lena Olin.
I think â?? mainly because American audiences generally turn against long films â?? that Havana is vastly under-rated. We know that the score is excellent but the dialogue is first-rate and daring in exploring depths that challenge words. The characters are conflicted and grow before our eyes.. The scenery is dramatic; the historical portrayal is complex while portraying a rich balance of conflicting points of view... The love triangle is credible even if Raul Julia's character is given little space... All in all, I find it an enduring film although, i confess that I found it more enjoyable viewing in the comfort of my home than I did when I was stuck in a theater seat for two and a half hours. â??Funny thing happend to me last week. I realized I wasnâ??t going to die young.â?? That happens to each of us except...
A very classy production directed by the excellent Sydney Pollock, but for all of this films strengths, and there were many, the meandering story and rather cold characters weaken the overall film. It wants to be "Casablanca" in pre-Castro Cuba, but for all the it's self seriousness, the film never comes close to that level of greatness. However, it's still worth watching for the gorgeous photography and production design, as well as for some great performances, particularly Alan Arkin in a supporting role.
A wonderful well acted movie. It was sad at the end though whenever Jack & Bobby had to say goodbye.
I know why people compare Havana's story to Casablanca, but it's not a comparison that makes much sense and is, at best, extremely unfair. While this movie is far from being a masterpiece or a classic by any measure, but it's a good (albeit slow) story with solid dialogue and acting.