Before Night Falls

 

            Cover: 

 

            Plot Summary: This film is about the life of Cuban writer/poet Reinaldo Arenas. A young and determined man who lives in Cuba runs into a lot of trouble during the revolution period because he happens to be a writer who also happens to be a homosexual.

 

            Director: Julian Schnabel

 

            Writer: Reynaldo Arenas (memoir)

                          Cunningham O’Keefe (screenplay)

                          Lázaro Gómez Carriles (screenplay)

                          Julian Schnabel (screenplay)

 

            Cast: Johnny Depp                       (Lieutenant Victor/Bon Bon)

                        Javier Bardem                     (Reinaldo Arenas)

                        Olivier Martinez                   (Lázaro Gómez Carriles)

                        Andrea Di Stefano              (Pepe Malas)

                        Olatz Lopez Garmendia    (Reinaldo’s Mother)

                        Giovannia Florido              (Young Reinaldo)

                        Sebastián Silva                   (Reinaldo’s Father)

                        Vito Maria Schnabel           (Teenage Reinaldo)

                        Sean Penn                            (Cuco Sánchez)

 

            Rating: R

 

            Review: This movie was very interesting. It was kind of strange and artsy, which was cool. It had a good message about life and freedom. It was very strange in some parts, but I loved it all the same. Johnny Depp played two characters. He first appears as the transvestite Bon Bon (yes, he is the blonde woman in that photo up there), who keeps the homosexual prison inmates happy. He also doubles as a smuggler who helps Reinaldo smuggle his book out of jail and out of the country to be published. I’ll let you guess how he smuggles things for now. Later he appears as the harsh Lieutenant Victor who apparently likes stroking himself. I’m not exactly clear whether he actually does that or whether it’s all in Reinaldo’s imagination. He turns in bizarre, original and brilliant performances for both characters, as can be expected. The movie in general was wonderful and incredible. It was definitely a bit bizarre in places, but always terrific.