Papa: Hemingway in Cuba

R

Released Apr 29, 2016

1 hr. 49 min.

Biography

History

Drama

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List

11%

45 Reviews

Tomatometer

53%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In 1959, a young Miami journalist (Giovanni Ribisi) travels to Havana to meet writer Ernest Hemingway (Adrian Sparks) during the Cuban Revolution.

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Critics Consensus

A man can be destroyed but not defeated, although the desultory Papa: Hemingway in Cuba makes one feel as if both can be accomplished by watching a single film.

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Audience Member

I don't understand the negative reviews. The acting is fine and the cinematography is excellent. If you're interested in this period of Hemingway's life, you'll appreciate it. Maybe the critics who hated it were expecting more and i wasn't, and so was pleasantly surprised. . .

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I cannot imagine why the consensus is so dismal. This is one of the greatest movies Iï¿ 1/2 1/2(TM)ve ever seen. Iï¿ 1/2 1/2(TM)ll ad some context to my opinion. Iï¿ 1/2 1/2(TM)ve read most of Papaï¿ 1/2 1/2(TM)s novels as well as most of his short stories. I disliked many of the early movie adaptations of his novels, as he did. Iï¿ 1/2 1/2(TM)d like to think Iï¿ 1/2 1/2(TM)m not a sucker for Hollywood. I also love Indy films. Again, for context, Iï¿ 1/2 1/2(TM)ll list a few, in no particular order. Snowcake, In Bruges, The Guard, The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Reign Over Me, and such. Most adored foreign films? The Motorcycle Diaries, Amelie, Blue is the Warmest Color. My favorite blockbusters? Common enough; Forest Gump, Braveheart, Gone With the Wind, Dances With Wolves, and the like. Favorite war movie? Hell in the Pacific. The point is, I do not have poor taste in movies, and those who dislike this one must have poor taste in movies because I simply cannot see any other explanation for their dislike of this one. I suspect I lacked marketing enough to cast the appropriate indispensably net and the only persons left reviewing this film are waiting on the sequel to Avatar or fast and furious 47. Either way, give this movie a read. But before you do, read some of Papaï¿ 1/2 1/2(TM)s works. Specifically, start with The Old Man and the Sea. Then read The Sun Also Rises. Itï¿ 1/2 1/2(TM)s my favorite novel of all time. Afterwards, as many short stories as you can. Also, ignore most of the reviews of this movie. Cheers.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

Full Review

Audience Member

based on a true story about a young man who beftiends Ernest Hemingway while he is living in Havana,Cuba right before the revelution and hoe their friendship blooms and teaches both about life and love. very well written and produced.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

Audience Member

very watchable if you've just been to Cuba.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

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Audience Member

I'm surprised to see this movies rated so low, I'm 66 so maybe the younger kids don't get it, very well acted by Papa.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Everything you thought you knew about Hemingway, but didn't--well done!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

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Bob Yari

Director

Giovanni Ribisi

Ed Myers

Joely Richardson

Mary Hemingway

Adrian Sparks

Ernest Hemingway

Minka Kelly

Debbie Hunt

Shaun Toub

Evan Shipman

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Papa: Hemingway in Cuba: Trailer 1

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Miriam Di Nunzio

Chicago Sun-Times

A film that is beautiful to look at but lacks clear vision.

Rated: 2.5/4

Apr 29, 2016

Full Review

Matthew Lickona

San Diego Reader

In the end, it's a museum piece: even the drunken screaming matches between Hemingway and his wife feel staged.

Rated: 1/5

Apr 29, 2016

Full Review

Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

As the first U.S. film shot in Cuba since Castro came to power in 1959, Papa gives us sights to revel in. Oddly, what hurts is the clunky, overripe script.

Rated: 2/4

Apr 29, 2016

Full Review

David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

If the viewer were to base him- or herself on the Hemingway represented in Yari's Papa ... he or she would likely never open a single volume of Hemingway's writing.

Feb 11, 2021

Full Review

Allen Almachar

The MacGuffin

We never get a sense of what we're supposed to gain here.

Rated: C-

Jul 13, 2020

Full Review

Cate Marquis

We Are Movie Geeks

The actors do their best, but the plodding, unimaginative direction reduces the film to a dull docu-drama,

Rated: 3/5

May 7, 2019

Full Review

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Synopsis

In 1959, a young Miami journalist (Giovanni Ribisi) travels to Havana to meet writer Ernest Hemingway (Adrian Sparks) during the Cuban Revolution.

Director: Bob Yari
Executive Producer: William J. Immerman, Kirk Shaw
Screenwriter: Denne Bart Petitclerc
Distributor: Yari Film Group
Production Co: Yari Film Group (YFG), Magenta Light Productions, Sunstone Film Productions, Studio 2050
Rating: R (Sexuality|Nudity|Language|Some Violence)
Genre: Biography, History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 29, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 9, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.1M

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