Critic Rating
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Director
Héctor Babenco
Cast
William Hurt,
Raúl Juliá,
Sônia Braga,
José Lewgoy,
Miriam Pires,
Milton Gonçalves
Genre
Drama
Luis Molina and Valentin Arregui are cell mates in a South American prison. Luis, a gay man, is found guilty of immoral behaviour and Valentin is a political prisoner. To escape reality and pass the time, Luis invents romantic stories based on his memories of old movies. During the time they spend together, the two men come to understand and respect one another.
San Francisco Chronicle by Bob Graham
Don't be too quick to jump on Hurt with complaints of old-fashioned gay stereotyping. Only with a development well into the movie will the audience realize the layers he brought to Molina's role-playing.
L.A. Weekly by F. X. Feeney
Leonard Schrader adapted the screenplay from the novel by Manuel Puig, and his fearless willingness to explore every corner of human nature serves what is greatest and sweetest in the performances of William Hurt and Raul Julia.
Chicago Sun-Times by Roger Ebert
Tells one of those rare and entrancing stories where one thing seems to happen while another thing is really happening.
New York Daily News by Jami Bernard
Each man winds up owing the other -- and the enormity of the sacrifices they make on one another's behalf are quite moving and have not been duplicated in the movies since.
Variety
Some will find him (Hurt) mesmerizing, others artificially lowkeyed.
New Times (L.A.) by Gregory Weinkauf
Powerful, sensuous and thematically hokey transsexual adventure.
Variety by Staff (Not Credited)
Some will find him (Hurt) mesmerizing, others artificially lowkeyed.
Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt
It packs an emotional punch despite shortcomings of story and style.
Chicago Tribune by Michael Wilmington
One of the most intriguing prison dramas ever put on film.
Village Voice by Leslie Camhi
Appears strangely dated, and its unspecified location seems existentially hokey.
Chicago Reader
The film's theme of acceptance is undercut considerably by Hurt's overcalculated performance.
Chicago Reader by Dave Kehr
The film's theme of acceptance is undercut considerably by Hurt's overcalculated performance.
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