For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story (2000) Reviews

• Great story Great movie Great music

  ramseyinusa2001-11-20

  I saw this movie on HBO 3 times. It was very entertaining yet also very sad, showing many of us how an oppressive regime under a dictator can tear families apart, ban artistic creativity and force a man to flee his country. The team at HBO certainly scored a 10 with this one. I was able to sit down with my children and share a very poignent experince about the human condition and the importance of freedom and democracy. All of the cast were marvelous, and what more can you say about Andy Garcia this actor is truly gifted and outstanding, Ive seen Arturo Sandoval play and Andy captured his every nuance of musical genius, plus he showed us the artists soul and his heartbreaking choice of For Love of Country. Well done HBO and Andy Garcia, give us more of this type of compelling film making

• Fantastic Movie!!!

  cajungenes2001-12-06

  I have always been an Andy Garcia Fan. The first thing I remember seeing him in was in the 1980's. I think he is a truly GREAT actor. He demonstrates a sensitivity and compassion that I have never seen duplicated by another actor. In this movie, about his beloved Cuba, his performance is without equal. He becomes Arturo. You are there with him and his family, you begin to understand the suffering and pain the revolution brought down upon the Cuban people. It will make you love Cuba, and the Cuban people, even as you hate the regime that destroyed their way of life. In my opinion, this is a MUST see movie. I gave it a 10/10.

• Great artist, great music

  Dragonshadow02002-10-31

  Arturo Sandoval is one of the greatest jazz trumpeters ever, standing alongside the likes of Miles Davis, Louis Armstronmg and Arturo's great friend Dizzie Gillespie. This biopic tells of his struggles with the repressive government of his native Cuba, the internal politics of his family and of course his need to play great music. Well acted, although there are no standard movie tricks and plot twists, just straight depiction of the people of Cuba of the time (early 80s) and the paranoia of the USA with anything Cuban. The really outstanding aspect of the movie is the souindtrack - Arturo himself plays many of the songs, and is credited with scoring and producing many of the tracks used, as well as playing on them. Watch the movie, buy the soundtrack CD.

• A man of Courage

  leftyguns22005-03-10

  As a Cuban-American the Arturo Sandoval story as portrayed in this film was truly a moving experience. This film " For Love or Country" is the life-story of Arturo Sandoval he's a Cuban trumpet player who loves his country but questions the repressive communist dictatorship. because of the fact that he is a great trumpeter he's allowed some privileges, and it's through these perks that he meets the great jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie. He and Gillespie form a bond that is apparent through the film. Their friendship also make for much needed comic relief , something essential when dealing with such subject matter. Gillespie's antics a truly unique., and It is through this friendship that the wheels are set in motion for Sandoval's defection. Sandoval knows that his wife and child would immediately be targeted by the communist authorities in Cuba, should he follow through with his defection. He's a brave man who faced with a serious decision, takes courageous steps ., and with the help of Gillespie , arranges to defect. Problem is that will his family be able to join him in exile. That is the main plot of the film . How can he escape Cuba, and have his family join him. This is one of Andy Garcia' so best acting roles. He conveys to the world the ugly reality of the Cuban experience in our search for freedom. This film truly is among the best I've seen.

• for love or country

  nbhatti30002006-10-10

  Our fasting is going I watch movie after praying today when I switched on the TV I saw title of movie the name of movie was FOR LOVE OR COUNTRY. FOR LOVE OR COUNTRY is based on the true story of Arturo Sandoval who finally cooperates with the Cuban government and even joins the communist party in order to have the freedom to travel internationally. He was living in a country where there was no respect for human rights, let alone freedom of expression in music. It was very entertaining and emotional movie which kept me sit strongly on the seat I couldn't move until the end of this movie. In the movie it showed an oppressive regime under a dictator can tear families apart and ban the right of human being and ban artistic creativity and force a man to flee his country, a very poignant experience about the human condition and the importance of freedom and democracy. All cast were marvelous, and what more can you say about Andy Garcia this actor is truly gifted and outstanding, Arturo Sandoval plays and Andy captures his every nuance of musical genius, plus he showed us the artists soul and his heartbreaking choice of For Love of Country. Marianela represents family loyalty and the way people who live in Cuba really think. It shows how Marianela goes from being completely loyal to a dictator to having her eyes opened to the reality of the situation. She falls completely in love with this talented musician but fears he may leave her like her first husband. Arturo has also been married before and while he is willing to spend his entire life with Marianela, she has her doubts and issues with trust. She has been betrayed by the government she supported. -Marianela she is very beautiful actress she performed great her character. This movie is at times so romantic. Especially the scene where Marianela and Arturo are dancing and when she wakes him up after he spends the night sleeping on a grave. The scene overlooking the ocean is so pristine. After performing with the Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music, he was allowed to start a group called Irakere that promoted a combination of Cuban music and jazz. In 1981 he then leaves Irakere to form his own band Nasir Bhatti From Pakistan City Karachi nbhatti3000@yahoo.com nbhatti3000@hotmail.com