7 Days in Havana (2012)

One of my all time favorites.

Admirable film.

A different way of telling a story

The acting in this movie is really good.

but in the "night on earth" earth meets "buena vista social club", it still holds its own. So why the bad critics and why see it still? Bad critics: guess what! you bring seven directors together, some well known even if only in their country, some with a lesser reputation, and they deliver uneven results! What???? Yes del toro or cantet get away with more formal takes on life in habana, but they have a lightness of tone which carry the story through. But all in all these snapshots won't bring anything new to anyone having spent a longer than tourist week package in havana, they will bring amused recollections to those who did enjoy the package, and will show the potential explorers why it's worth going there. And for those who don't care about tourism, well it has the nice feel of those sixties and seventies sketches and shorts genre movies i personally so enjoyed.

I watched 7 days in Havana as omnibus connected together by Havana, not by a plot. Young American and Emir Kusturica helped me to travel into the city myself and to enjoy in it on the similar way as when I was really there. I did not expect from characters in the movie to make a coherent story as for me this movie in his big part is a documentary. Characters represent how somebody Cuban living there feels, which are his main joys, sufferings and believes. Also how does feel somebody coming there from outside. Bad side of the movie for me was our famous director Kusturica acting himself in alcoholism and on ego trip, also contributing to documentary, it would be better if he was more fictional. The ritual of Santeria was the most documentary part for me as I have never seen it on the screen. This contrast: Christianity and African magic changing for centuries but still alive for me is one of the strongest impressions. Also dilemma of Young beautiful singer that is certainly dilemma of many talented Cuban people for me was so important as it was the beauty of her and her sexy boyfriend. The beauty of the city, of its people and their music are the point for me and they can really satisfy somebody who can be patient enough to see all these kinds of Havana beauty and enjoy in it.

This movie has gotten overall bad reviews. It is in fact uneven, as you might expect from 7 directors handling 7 segments to some extent intermingled.If you don't understand enough Spanish to follow the Cuban dialog, I am sure a lot gets lost in translation. Others complain the film tells them nothing new.From my perspective, with some familiarity with Cuban culture, down to the iconic Hotel Nacional featured in the film (where I stayed for 3 mights in 2011), I can only say that I may have learned little that is new but through most of the film, the vibrancy, the music, the sensuality, the sheer joy and pain of the Cuban experience shone through and it touched my soul.

I wanted to like this movie. And I did. Sort of - about half of the novels are good. The other ones are simply weak. And, as previous reviewer mentioned, there is a disconnect after the second novel, and I had to bridge the gaps in my own imagination. But despite this, and despite the lack of one common story, there is a humour, there is a feeling and flavor of Cuba. And, as Havana is an eclectic mix of languages, cultures and ideologies, so is this movie. So, in a strange way, it fits.Not a masterpiece, but has its good moments. Personally, I expected to hear much more music, though.