TrueJoshNight
Truly Dreadful Film
Konterr
Brilliant and touching
CrawlerChunky
In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.
Patience Watson
One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.
TxMike
Even though this is a "TV movie" it never seems like a TV movie. The actors are super as are the production values. Add to that music supplied by Arturo Sandoval himself and it all adds up to a fine movie. Sure, I suppose it is a bit romanticized but never in an objectionable manner. The movie is told as a series of flashbacks as Arturo is at an American embassy, being interviewed as he asks for asylum, to escape Cuba. The story is told in a manner which portrays the Cuban government in an unfavorable light. The only "freedom" that Castro's revolution brought them was the freedom to do what the government wanted them to. Anyone who might have spoken against Castro was tried then shot. Andy Garcia is very good as Arturo Sandoval. He certainly has a passion for the role, being a Cuban refugee himself, as a small boy. Being a trumpet player myself I could certainly tell he wasn't actually playing, but in many cases he did a pretty good job of faking it almost realistically. His love was south American Mía Maestro as Marianela. A friend of hers was played by another Cuban refugee, Gloria Estefan as Emilia. David Paymer was the Embassy interviewer. And Charles S. Dutton was good as Dizzy Gillespie whom Sandoval idolized, and also who helped Sandoval get approval for him and his family to come to the USA while he was on tour.A really good movie. I saw it on DVD loaned from my public library.
Minofed
Andy Garcia is one of the most underrated actors of our generation. So it's a pleasure to report that in "For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story," Garcia gives an Emmy Award worthy performance.
Sandoval was a Cuban trumpeter whose talents caught the eye of a touring Dizzy Gillespie, played by the talented Charles Dutton. Gillespie that helped Sandoval, and ultimately Sandoval's family, escape to the United States. The framework for the film is Sandoval pleading his case for asylum with U.S. embassy interviewer David Paymer. Garcia executive produced the film, and he obviously feels passionately about the plight of Sandoval and other musicians in Cuba who felt stifled by the Castro regime's attempts to dictate what kind of music they played. This view is understandable, since Garcia is Cuban-American.
The problem is that Paymer continually asks why Sandoval feels he should be granted asylum, and Garcia can't come up with a good enough answer. Certainly Sandoval suffered financially in Cuba, as almost everyone else has. And certainly his musical freedom of expression suffered under Communism. But just as Garcia can't convince Paymer to grant his request for asylum (Gillespie eventually intercedes on his behalf) he fails to convince us.
Bill Campbell
HBO certainly knows how to produce movies. This movie makes you laugh and cry at the same time. It is a sad story and a happy one at the same time. It is the story of the defection of Arturo Sandoval, his wife and son, to the United States from Cuba. The acting is superb. Charles Dutton IS Dizzy Gillespie, Mia Maestro is just gorgeous, Andy Garcia is a powerhouse actor, and the supporting cast are all very good. Since I have had the opportunity to hear Arturo Sandoval play in person, this movie was special to me, but it will be a very entertaining, enlightening 2 hours for anyone who sees it.
George Parker
A romanticized dramatic biography, "For Love or County" tells the true story of trumpet virtuoso Arturo Sandoval's escape from Cuba and oppression of artistic expression. A well composed and entertaining production, this film packs ideological and political conflict, a love story, and plenty of authentic Sandoval music into a two hour run. Perhaps most importantly, the film makes clear that freedom of musical expression is, to the musician, as important as freedom of speech; especially when that music is jazz.