This is a wonderful, engaging movie. The movie is completely carried by two ten year old child actors. We see the world completely through their eyes. They are both cute as monkeys, and charming as all get out. They both have expressive faces and lively bodies that constantly surprise and entertain. I was instantly charmed and instantly taken in to care intensely that all should work out for them.We see the adults through the children's eyes, mainly as people to interfere with fun and who are cruel for no reason.The movie is in Spanish with subtitles. This causes some problems, the two mothers look much alike and behave much alike, though one is a snobbish Catholic and the other a snobbish Communist. I found it hard to keep track of who was saying what.The two children, even though one is a boy and one a girl, have similar sounding voices. I often got confused trying to figure out which of the two said what.The story is largely about their adventures running away to find the girl's father. Almost like the fairy tale The Snow Queen, they meet all manner of eccentric characters on the way.There a few corny/hammy scenes, where the director told the kids to do something that adults think kids do, but they would never do, like hold hands and skip or shake hands. Their never-speak-again fight vaporised a bit too quickly for my credibility.As the movie progresses, I kept wondering what plot device could possibly be used to bring this story to a requisite sunny end. I could not think of one. Neither could the writers. They stuck on very strange ambiguous ending. I left me saying What the? It is very unsettling. These lovable kids deserved a happy-ever-after.Maybe the director wanted the kick the squabbling parents in the teeth for their self-centredness.

I liked this film a lot. It is an easy-going, friendly creation -- not a lot of drama and nothing fearful or anxiety-producing, just a sweet story, which is great as far as I'm concerned. I think anyone would appreciate its genuine humanity. In particular, I loved its ingenuity -- this film is very different from standard Hollywood fare. The opening credits are extremely clever and the magical realism of Latin America was nicely evident. I thought some of the slapstick humor was a little too sophomoric, but there were also some extremely funny moments. The political overtones were occasionally heavy-handed, but the chance for an inside look at the Cuban people makes this film worth the price of admission. The two main actors were children and amazingly good. The filming of the Cuban countryside was first-rate. It is a gorgeous country. There were also a couple of very easy-on-the-eyes guys. (If you see this film, you'll know who I'm talking about!)

If you are planning a trip to Cuba any time soon, here are complimentary tips:1) Avoid this Island in July. unless you lived in a steam bath your whole life.2) Expand the trip to the country side. Cuba is much more than cigars and salsa bars.3) Whatever happens, never drive at night in the A1 freeway. it's wide and has no traffic but it has potholes big enough to have their own zip codesWhy am I telling you all this, you wonder? Well Cuba is an Island ensconced in revolutionary romanticism but shadowed by the stagnant leader who brought his country to the brink of bankruptcy. The U.S. embargo might be an inhibitor (and not a very justified one, I might add) but it's not the cause. There are plenty of reasons why there are hordes of Cubans wishing to go 98 miles north from Havana to the Miami border and leave the "revolution" for the enchanted tourists.One of those people is Divorced middle aged woman who, after a short grieving period over her mother's death, decides that her future will not be on Cuban soil. Unfortunately, her daughter Malu is a close friend with Jorgito who's mother and Malu's mother are arch-enemies, mainly because Jorhito's mother is a devout communist and Malu's mother is a "burgois" (in Cuban terms) Christian (Christianity is a legitimate practice of faith in Cuba since 1989).The disgruntled kids, Malu and Jorhito, know that once Malu's father will sign the exit authorization papers for his ex-wife, they will never see each other again. In a desperate attempt to save a deep bond that grown ups simply cannot attain, Malu and Jorhito go through a clandestine and perilous journey all the way from Havana in the North to Camaguay in the south. When I did this journey with my friend in a rental car, it took us 12 hours, 2 flat tires and the better part of 300$ so you can expect these 12 year old kids to stumble on a few obstacles of their own.The voyage to the bottom of the last communist nation on this planet (and no, China is not even remotely communist these days) is a test of the friendship its meant to save but its also a unifier between the alienated mothers who find out that they have more in common than they thought or should is say, cared to believe. The viewers get to find something else as well. They get to see Cuba outside the myth, away from the cigar factories, Hoze Marti's monuments and the colonialist architecture. Cuba is not only the one of Ernest Hemingway and Che's legacy of revolution, it's also the rural island of good natured people it always was. Even before Castro emerged from the Siera Madre and replaced a reign of tyranny with another.Those who get to know Cubans, know that the fledgling economy, dilapidating buildings and obsolete infrastructure diminished Castro's appeal and although no one misses Batista, it's more than obvious that after Ilcommendante passes on, Cuba will go through a very profound metamorphosis. That is not to suggest that Cuba will become corporation-land like its northern neighbor but the winds of change are breezing into the mujitos. This film, although doesn't criticize Castro and even depicts an overly complimenting view of Havana, adds little hints that Che's Ideology is not immunized from mortality anymore than Che himself was.Don't let my tedious manifest to make you believe this film is a history lesson or a camouflaged propaganda. This film is personal, it deals with the friendship of two 12 year old that are reluctant to succumb to the petty ways of the adult world. It's a story about two kids that rock their parents look on life simply by doing what they passionately believe in. The director, Juan Malberti knows that the appeal of the film is the genuineness of it's protagonists and he wisely let their acting talent (which they have in abundance) dictate the emotional scenes and set the tone of the film in general.This film didn't make me put a "Hasta la Victoria siempre" (Che's motto meaning: always until triumph) sticker on my car but than again, that isn't its goal. This film is about the triumph of friendship over hardship and, aided with a great cast, wonderful writing and almost-flawless direction, this film is one of the most enjoyable cinematic experiences I had in a very long while.I assume this movie can appeal to anyone, regardless of one's opinions about communism. The only Ideology endorsed in this film is that adult cynicism is never a match of the children's benevolent outlook.Of course, if you are into movies, you know that already.9 out of 10 in my FilmOmeter.

Malú and Jorgito fight every now and then but are in love.Only their families don't see it that way. Her mother is a devout Catholic with strict ideas of who she should associate with. His family are card-carrying communists with a deep sense of party loyalty. Both families are too absorbed in their own problems and hatred for each other to take much notice of the children.After Malu's grandmother dies Malu's mother decides to leave Cuba and join her boyfriend overseas.When Malú finds out that her mother is about to take her away, she escapes with Jorgito armed with the savings from her piggy bank. Their search for Malú's father who can help her stay in Cuba begins.Their journey involves a long journey across Cuba with many adventures along the way. As their families search for them , the two realize that life on the run is not all they thought it would be and a kind of homesickness begins to set in. Viva Cuba is a quirky coming-of-age road movie.