VividSimon Simply Perfect

Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

leavittstaff Watching this movie, it occured to me how very slender Hemingway's output really was. In short story output -- short stories being his main event -- writers like Joyce Carol Oates, John Updike surpass him in quality and output. They, however, shunned the spotlight although they did get their share of it

kynick2 I really wanted to like this film as I am a Hemingway fan like many people. I read a few reviews that trashed the film and then I came across one that said "I don't know why all the bad reviews" and that was enough for me to download a check it out. The film started OK. I like Ribisi (Sneaky Pete)and Minka Kelly is simply beautiful but from there it goes down hill. If they had shown Cuba (ala Woody Allen New York/Rome/Paris etc) it would have been more watchable but they didn't and it wasn't.The acting. Oh my goodness, to say it was wooden would be the understatement of the 21st century. The worst of the bunch is the guy that plays Hemingway. I've never seen or heard Hemingway in real life but I can't imagine he was the passionless bore he seemed to be. Maybe not a fair criticism but I like the way Hemingway was portrayed in Midnight in Paris. Halfway or so through the film, there is a get together and a confrontation of sorts between EH and his wife...here is where you get bad acting at it's finest. Ribisi seemed out of place but I believe that is more a product of a poorly written story than his skill set.The story. How bad is it? Let me count the ways. Never mind, I have better things to do. How this is rated above "3" is beyond me.

lavatch For those who admire the writing of Ernest Hemingway, this film offers a wonderful perspective into the time that he lived in Cuba late in his life. This period also coincides with the overthrow of Batista in Cuba by the rebel forces of Fidel Castro. The film is successful in blending biography and history in a well-photographed motion picture--the first American film since the height of Cold War with location filming in Cuba.The film is based on the true life story of writer Denne Petitclerc, a young journalist who formed a bond with his idol Hemingway while writing for the Miami Herald in the late 1950s. Peticlerc sent a letter to Hemingway, who responded warmly. A virtual father-son relationship ensued in their meetings in Cuba.Some of the most interesting portions of the film are those that bring to the forefront such political developments as the Cuban revolution led by Castro and the troubling harassment of Hemingway by FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. There is even a scene where the journalist meets with American mafia boss Santos Trafficante.The personal side of the film comes across in a fine performance by Adrian Sparks as the aging Hemingway, losing his powers as a writer and fighting personal demons. Giovanni Ribisi is good as the journalist, who provides support to Hemingway during the crisis that eventually ends in Idaho when Hemingway took his life. There are good supporting performances from Minka Kelly as Deb, the journalist's girlfriend, Joely Richardson as the feisty Mary Hemingway, and James Remar as Trafficante.The film might have probed deeper into the artistry of Hemingway and how his life story figured so prominently in his works of fiction. Occasionally, the famous books, "A Farewell to Arms," "For Whom the Bell Tolls," and "The Old Man and the Sea" were referenced. But the backdrop of Hemingway's creative process in bringing those literary works to life could have been explored more completely. In that way, we would know why Hemingway was such a great inspiration to so many writers.

drjgardner Papa is lovingly photographed in Cuba where the story takes place in 1959, with an aging and depressed Ernest Hemingway, a Cuban revolution, and a young reporter who develops a relationship with Hemingway. Adrian Sparks captures Ernest Hemingway to such an extent that we believe we are watching home movies of the real Hemingway. It's helped by being filmed in Hemingway's Cuban home, which is now a national museum. Joely Richardson is similarly marvelous in the role of Hemingway's wife. The film has a quiet lyrical tone even while there are turbulent under currents involving Batista, J. Edgar Hoover, the Mafia, and Fidel Castro's rebels. But the heart of the story is the relationship between the reporter (Giovanni Ribisi) and the Hemingways, as the orphaned reporter becomes part of their "family" and learns for himself what being part of a family truly means.The film will have limited appeal and is best viewed by people interested in Hemingway, or the Cuban revolution, or intense family dramas. AS an added bonus, there are lots of 1950s cars on display, which is a real treat for the eyes.