Let's be realistic.

Horrible, fascist and poorly acted

Gripping story with well-crafted characters

n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

An interesting film by Andy Garcia that looks back on the Havana that was. Garcia was only five years old when his family fled Cuba in 1961 after the 1959 revolution and Fidel Castro's takeover. "The Lost City" is a nostalgic tribute to his homeland and especially Havana and its musical culture. In a bonus short with this film on DVD, Garcia explains that most people who have had to leave their homelands forcefully always have a longing, a connection with it. That applies to emigrants forced out and those who fled the persecution of oppressive governments. And, children of emigrants as well, he says. This film was some 16 years in the planning. Garcia assembled an excellent cast and craftsmen to produce the film, from the writing to the filming, locations and all aspects. He starred in it himself and also directed it. The shooting locations were in the Dominican Republic with its countryside, shoreline and buildings that are similar to those in Cuba. This is a very good story about family, culture, love, loss, tragedy and freedom. It also is a window on the very beautiful music and culture that was Cuban and Havanan in the past. At the time Garcie made this film, Havana was in a terrible sate of decay. Efforts since have been made to save the city, but much of it is falling into ruin. The film was made in English except for the songs. I don't speak Spanish, so I appreciated the English sub-titles for the music, since the lyrics of the songs are a great deal about the people and culture.

This film works at all levels and is excellent. The writing is superb, believable, entertaining. All of the actors do a believable job. The directing, with great transitions and 'cross-scenes' for lack of the correct film term, is also excellent. The scenery is beautiful and adds to the story like a character or characters depending on whether it's a beach scene or a city street scene. This film definitely deserves 10 stars if one is to be fair & unbiased. If this were a different type of film, done by different people in Hollywood it would be considered one of the great films. I would recommend this film to others. It manages to entertain without the sex and extreme violence of many modern films. If you are a fan of Andy Garcia you will definitely love this film. I have purchased it for my media library to watch over again.

What are you ex-patriots smoking? Andy Garcia is a b-movie actor, with minimal talent and all of this shows in his embarrassing opus from a narrow minded, spoiled rich kid from Miami. Hold this film up to Walter Salles' Motorcycle Diaries and lets see which film wilts in the light of day. Bill Murray, Dustin Hoffman look awkwardly out of place. And everyone's speaking English?! WTF! Many things have been said about Ernesto Guevara, but Garcia carelessly passes him off as a bloodthirsty tyrant. This was not the depiction I felt after seeing the better film released a year before that portrays a thoughtful medical student who was determined to blur the lines drawing up North, South and Central America. Like I said, This is your Brain (Motorcycle Diaries)and This is your brain on Drugs (Lost City).

There needs to be a negative scale of MINUS 1 to MINUS 10 for garbage this bad... AND I WOULD RATE THIS MINUS 10 (-10)Don't waste your time unless you are a numb-skull. This movie doesn't deserve a review at all. If i could have reviewed with expletives then this review would need a xxx rating. Go watch attack of the killer tomato's or laser-blast before wasting one minute on this totally worthless piece of cinema. Regrettably some of the music is quite enjoyable however its repetitive nature and the pain of the movie robbed me of even that enjoyment. I hate myself for wasting my time and my money on hiring this movie. All copies should be sent on a Saturn five rocket out of the solar system. ... I hope this review has been clear.