kind and or or pander review treat this film a fantastical or lyrical account of the life of cuban writer reynaldo arena and but this merely obscure the film lack of coherent concept and writing and direction . it might have help matter if this film about life in castro cuba have be make in spanish . instead and the audience must struggle to hear and comprehend latin american actor speak poorly articulate english . add to the confusion and sean penn appear in a cameo role of campesino . here an american actor try to play a cuban actor try to speak english . yet and when arenas writing be quote and the soundtrack switch to spanish and translate into english subtitle . i leave before the film end and just after director schnabel shift to the technique of reprise a scene with different outcome . i would just see stephen frears do something similar in high fidelity and to great comic effect . in before night fall the same technique be bumble and ineffective . affection and respect for a gay writer who escape from castro cuba be no guarantee that you will make a good film .