Evocative and moving story based on the life of Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas. The film has excellent acting from Javier Bardem (and smaller but equally excellent performances from Johnny Depp and Sean Penn), wonderful scenery and, most of all, powerful and moving snippets from the work of a novelist whose poetic powers can inspire and lift above the poverty of life or bring emotional poignancy to the depths. This is set in a country where, under Castro's rule, there is no "upper class" - and yet where brutal intolerance can be shown to any 'misfits'. Arenas happens to be homosexual, which is unacceptable, and his poetry extols natural beauty (which is, it seems, seen as counter-revolutionary). The writer survives torture and imprisonment but his works survive and the success of his novels prove an inspiration to him as he survives in abject conditions. The film is a bit slow to start, and occasionally meandering, but overall it provides a powerful piece of cinema.

"Before Night Falls" is a good movie. However, the most important point to be highlighted is the outstanding performance of Javier Bardem, in the role of Reinaldo Arenas, a Cuban poet and writer. But unfortunately, the script and the direction were not in the same level of this great actor. The impression transmitted of Reinaldo Arenas in the movie is mostly of a gay artist, persecuted by a dictatorial regime not because of his ideas, but because of his behavior being gay. Even his death due to Aids is not clear in the movie. Maybe readers of this writer may find points in the script to be sympathetic with Reinaldo Arenas, but for an outsider of his biography and books, the plot does really show him as a homosexual writer persecuted by a dictatorial regime. The plan of the ideas is not emphasized in the movie. Javier Bardem deserved a better direction and script for such a performance! My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Antes do Anoitecer" ("Before Night Falls")

I have to admit that I had never heard of Reinaldo Arenas prior to this movie's release. Watching the movie, I think what shocks us most is seeing the brutality of Castro's regime. If you're someone who has long idolized that government, then what you see here is mind-blowing. We had long known that homosexuality was suppressed in Cuba, but what happens to poet Reinaldo Arenas (Javier Bardem) is particularly disturbing.

I guess that what we need to understand is that any revolution is merely a reflection of what a small group of people consider the ideal. Therefore, the Cuban Revolution entailed banning open homosexuality. And "Before Night Falls" does a good job showing that.

So, in conclusion, this is a movie that I would recommend. Also starring Olivier Martinez, Johnny Depp, Michael Wincott and Sean Penn.