SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Limerculer A waste of 90 minutes of my life

ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Logan By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

cynophile Wonderful film showing the real Cuba as opposed to the usual U.S. anti-Castro propaganda. This was the first time I'd had the chance to see inside Cuba and to hear how appreciative ordinary Cubans were for what the Revolution had brought: free health care (including a low infant mortality rate), affordible (if basic) housing for all, and an effective educational system which gives Cubans the highest literacy rate in that part of the world - going to show how a courageous and hard working people find ways of working around sanctions designed to cripple their country.

modhat I really like the movie and the idea itself, that using a camera and recording videos you can watch and notice how any country could be changed to better or to worst

a761506-192-71938 The life work of Jon Alpert is beautifully displayed along with an intimate look into Cuba over the years. The simpleness of the farmers lives, happy every day of their lives until the day their first animal was stolen, and then to see their recovery at such a late stage in life after things looked incredibly bleak... one of the best raw images of humanity in its purest form.The interviews with Fidel showed me who he was in a nutshell, and to be honest, I knew little about him prior to this, but it allowed me to paint my own picture of the man.Truly tremendous film, Jon if you read this review, thank you very much for making this.

jimparrett It's hard not to like the unspoiled, friendly and proud people profiled in this documentary. The director remarkably touches bases with both common folk like the three elderly farming brothers who make up the heart of the film and Castro himself. There's a sense of resiliency and humor that is inspiring. You also get to witness an American's view of the roller coaster ride Cuba has taken from the heady days of revolution to the horror of the 90's to 2016, when life has improved immeasurably for the subjects, some of whom have gone from gaunt to almost portly. Whatever your opinion is of Castro and his autocratic tendencies, this documentary concentrates its light on the Cuban people, their relationships with each other, their country and with the cameraman. I was surprised at how open Cubans are in criticizing their leader and their predicament, especially in the horrible 90's. One gets the feeling from western media that Cubans have been silenced and jailed under Castro for their views but here, nobody seems to be intimidated at all in speaking of their anger and resentment over the way the country has been run. By the end, I felt close to each of this film's subjects to the point where I was disappointed that two Cubans who emigrated to the USA during the later stages of filming are not interviewed after their exodus to America.