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Review #132 of 365
Film: The Lost City (2006) [R] 143 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.75
Where Viewed: Landmark Guild 45th, Seattle, WA
When 1st Seen: 23 May 2006
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Review Dedicated to: Adam "Muy" A. of Chicago, IL
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DVD |
Imagine the personal pride you would feel if you could honor your hometown with an epic-style tribute film over which you had labored to bring to the silver screen for many, many years hoping to get every detail just right. Well, such is the case for Cuban-born actor Andy Garcia as he gives to Havana his new film, The Lost City. In this case, the choice of the word 'lost' has to due with a city being lost politically as in the government is overthrown as opposed to a city being lost in the overgrowth of the South American jungle. And, that subtle difference when tied to the meaning of 'lost' that occurs after a chaotic over throwing of a government and the aftermath where, quite literally, people are lost as to what to do in the power vacuum that follows, embeds this use of The Lost City as the title for this film with incredible meaning. Not surprisingly, Andy Garcia (producer, director, composer, and actor) has delivered a beautiful, soulful, historically-engaging, nearly-epic style movie as it chronicles the years slightly before and after the installation of the Castro regime and the implementation of a Soviet-backed, communist government through the eyes and lives of the fictional, influential Fellove family. As the eldest son of college professor Don Federico Fellove (Tomas Milian), Andy Garcia plays Fico, owner of the Club El Tropico—one of Havana's most celebrated night clubs. The one thing the Fellove family, or so the Don thinks, values most is family. Indeed, every Sunday, they gather, sharply before six o'clock to dine together and reaffirm their family bonds. What neither the Don nor Fico know, however, it that Fico's two younger brothers, Luis (Nestor Carbonell) and Ricardo (Enrique Murciano) are part of the next generation of Cubans, ones that believe that a revolution will be the only way to restore faith in the people for their government. Both eventually become revolutionary heroes for those who believed in the revolution. A series of events leaves Luis's wife a widow, and a promise made by Fico to his younger brother to look after Aurora (Inés Sastre) leads them down a short path to love. Ultimately, Fico will be faced with the difficult decision as to whether to stay in the new Cuba, or exit to another country and seek to rebuild his life.
"The film looks gorgeous...The Lost City is one of the first great epic-style movies of 2006."
For a first-time director, an incredibly long script by Guillermo Cabrera Infante, and a $10 million budget, I would say Mr. Garcia did an astonishing job with his film—and let's not forget he composed the music as well. The acting is superb in every role. The film looks gorgeous and feels like an expansive epic. Make no mistake, however, the opinions of everyone involved as to what happened in Cuba and the resulting shift in the government gets addressed head on without a sugar coating. Certainly, there are striking things to learn from watching this flip-flop in the purpose and resolve of the government. One minute there are gorgeous night clubs, and the next they are shut down because the orchestra may no longer include saxophones due to the instrument having been invented by Mr. Sax of Belgium and Belgium being involved in the Congo.
My only disappointments from the film were the roles of "The Writer" (Bill Murray) and Meyer Lansky (Dustin Hoffman). I felt Murray's role could have been cut entirely from the film. I guess he was supposed to be the comic-relief, but his role and his shtick throughout seemed like it had been inserted, almost Jar-Jar Binks-like, into a film where he just really didn't belong. As for Mr. Hoffman, he is still one of the best actors of his era, but this was not the right role for him. He just didn't fit as one of the biggest mob bosses of all time. I kept thinking any minute, as these two were former roommates in Tootsie, that Bill Murray was going to ask Dustin Hoffman to put on a dress and go try out for a spot on one of the Cuban soap operas. Not only would the cutting of both of these roles from the film have shortened it and focused it a bit, it would have increased the solemnity of the entire picture making it even better. Even so, I would suggest that The Lost City is one of the first great epic-style movies of 2006. It will be quite surprising if Andy Garcia doesn't hear his name called for at least one Academy Award® Nomination come next winter. My hat goes off to him for completing this true labor of love.
My only disappointments from the film were the roles of "The Writer" (Bill Murray) and Meyer Lansky (Dustin Hoffman). I felt Murray's role could have been cut entirely from the film. I guess he was supposed to be the comic-relief, but his role and his shtick throughout seemed like it had been inserted, almost Jar-Jar Binks-like, into a film where he just really didn't belong. As for Mr. Hoffman, he is still one of the best actors of his era, but this was not the right role for him. He just didn't fit as one of the biggest mob bosses of all time. I kept thinking any minute, as these two were former roommates in Tootsie, that Bill Murray was going to ask Dustin Hoffman to put on a dress and go try out for a spot on one of the Cuban soap operas. Not only would the cutting of both of these roles from the film have shortened it and focused it a bit, it would have increased the solemnity of the entire picture making it even better. Even so, I would suggest that The Lost City is one of the first great epic-style movies of 2006. It will be quite surprising if Andy Garcia doesn't hear his name called for at least one Academy Award® Nomination come next winter. My hat goes off to him for completing this true labor of love.
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