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 Luis invents romantic movies, while Valentin tries to keep his mind on the situation he's in. During the time they spend together, the two men come to understand and respect one another.
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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.
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.
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.
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San Francisco Chronicle by Bob Graham
Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt
L.A. Weekly by F. X. Feeney
New Times (L.A.) by Gregory Weinkauf
New York Daily News by Jami Bernard
Village Voice by Leslie Camhi
Chicago Tribune by Michael Wilmington
Chicago Sun-Times by Roger Ebert