...en fin, el mar

Magnífico retrato del drama cubano. Gran manejo del director. Forma parte de las películas que si o si deben verse.

This is really a superb moviee wiht full of romance and drama.. people shd watch atleast once .

Let me begin by stating that, if you are looking for a high quality film, this is not it. The whole thing comes off amateurish at best, but it is a film worth seeing because of the subject matter and a look at a world of which so many of us have little knowledge.

The plot of the tale is improbable - at best. It begins with a scene of Cubans boarding rafts in an attempt to escape to Florida. A young couple, she showing some apprehension, board their homemade raft and set out to sea.

The scene shifts to where we see two young men of substantial means relaxing on a beach in Florida. One of the men sees something floating in the water, investigates, and finds the young couple's raft. Scratched into the wood is the name of the couple. It just so happens that Tony, the finder of the raft, is of Cuban decent, and that the name on the raft is his Cuban mother's family name - I told you the plot was improbable.

Tony is a successful commodities trader from New York who, because of family history, knows little about his deceased mother's life and family in Cuba. Even after returning to his all consuming work schedule, Tony is filled with a new curiosity about his heritage.

He takes some time off and travels to Cuba with the hopes of finding the family of whomever boarded the raft. Once Tony arrives in Cuba, the probability quotient of the tale decreases even more for not only does he find the family of the owners of the raft, but the young woman had been rescued during a storm at sea and had returned to Cuba.

The family is not the same as Tony's mother so the young woman is not his cousin which is good because they eventually have an affair.

As I said, the movie - as far as movies go - is not very good. The acting is strained and the situations are mostly absurd, but there is a heart to the whole thing that makes it worthwhile. The viewer is given, according to what I have read, a fairly realistic view of everyday life in Cuba, and the ending of the film gives a genuine message about heart and homeland. If you have a spare hour and a half and are the least bit interested, I recommend giving this film a try.

Latin American films often look different from Hollywood films, they might appear a bit amateurish by comparison because they are low budget, or don't have the technical perfection of Hollywood films. There's a different sensibility too, which is reflected in the acting style, which might seem a little stiff or artificial to someone not used to it, and there's more tolerance for non- narrative poetic sequences, unlikely plot twists, sentimental music, etc. If you're looking for a Hollywood type film, this isn't it. It has a more leisurely pace and not all the loose ends are tied up. But if you want to see a movie about contemporary Cuba, it's worth a look. It captures the complex emotions of people who go back to Cuba looking for roots and feel confused about their identity. I appreciate seeing different points of view, and the scenery is beautiful. I agree it's not the best film ever made, but I like that it emphasizes the human side of things and tries to break down some of the barriers that separate Cuban Americans from Cubans who stayed on the island.

I'm Cuban. In my view the director shows perfectly well a story of our generation, being 30 something and almost second generation after the revolution, I've been waiting for someone to take this subject. Finally!! The film speaks about the people who have left and people who have stayed. The return to the roots and the possibility of change. Music is wonderful ( a friend of mine was in Italy when the composer received the award for the best Soundtrack) the acting is natural and good. Finally a film where we can here and understand a clear Cuban accent! I'm sorry about Carmen comments. It happens sometimes that people don't like some art piece. We say in Cuba that colors were invented to satisfy the different tastes. Back to the film, anyone who has a relative who has left his country or who itself has left, will feel the magic of the movie and its feeling, making you moved, sad and satisfied at the same time