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Chico & Rita (2010)

Director: Javier Mariscal, Fernando Trueba

Time Out rating

Average user rating

5 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

This lush and nostalgic animated gem from Spanish artist and designer Javier Mariscal and his compatriot, director and music producer Fernando Trueba, feels like a perfect melding of two distinctive sensibilities to produce a single, impeccable piece of craft. A potted history of the golden age of jazz in the 1940s and ’50s underscores a passionate, globe-hopping love story between Chico, a cocky but endearing jazz pianist, and Rita, a honey-toned chanteuse. They first lock eyes in a Havana dive bar, but opportunities for both of them to realise their dreams and take their music across the globe puts a strain on their romance.

Coming across like a homage to the kind of pulp melodramas Hollywood was producing at the time (‘A Star Is Born’ especially), the epic sweep of Trueba’s heart-tugging story is anchored in Mariscal’s gorgeous cityscapes: pre-Castro Havana is a cosy tangle of mottled wood and Tropicana rhythms, while the towering skyscrapers of New York and the sprawling soundstages of Hollywood emphasise just how far – artistically and emotionally – our lovers have come.

The music binds the film and gives it a special cachet: Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Chano Pozo and Ben Webster make cameos, and their jazz styles are fondly emulated by Cuban pianist Bebo Valdés. Even Wim Wenders pops up during the epilogue while forming the Buena Vista Social Club. There are moments when a surfeit of in-the-know references tend to overshadow the romance – but you’ll find it too charming to care.

Author: David Jenkins

Time Out London Issue 2100: 16 – 24 November, 2010

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User reviews of this film

Jools said...

Posted on Mar 10 2011 01:47 A stunning master peice and fantastic animation I really enjoyed this film. Was a little slow in places but the sheer escapism and detail in each scene more than made up for it. I dont know how people can rubbish something when it is obvious so much thought and care has gone into not only the process but the concept to. It was so atmospheric and the music was delightful, please go and see and make up your own mind. What a perfect way to spend an afternoon !!

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Verity said...

Posted on Nov 29 2010 23:07 I completely agree with Kelvin Yearwood[above]. What a load of trite, patronising, tedious rubbish. If this wasn't an animation the reviews would be atrocious.

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Kelvin Yearwood said...

Posted on Nov 29 2010 15:03 Chico and Rita - epic shite I'm afraid.
Immature, objectifying, reactionary and boring. A lazy, superficial acknowledgement of US imperialist influence on Cuba's history runs through the film; and an occasional and obvious feistiness is deployed in the Rita character to draw in the easy-to-please post-feminist.
Immature, annoying and stereotypical on-off Chico/Rita relationship (with lazy Latin fall-back positions) dominates.
Cuban revolution dismissed in passing as anti-jazz (the world class education system and medical support of no interest, or the pre-revolutionary dire poverty of the Cuban peasantry)
Rita's tits and arse and simpering girl-child looks are straight out of the factory of male fantasy representation.
Liked the Chano Pozo character, but he had to be killed off quickly to allow for the rubbish to continue.
Charlie Parker plays an alto sax with a tenor crook! - that's just ignorant.
Probably the most vomit-worthy moment in film history is the aged Rita telling Chico from her Las Vegas motel room (free in lieu of cleaning duties - and she's so grateful and pathetic!) she'd been waiting for his (two-timing) arse for 47 years.
The general point being, lamentable film criticism standards withstanding, cartoon has to grow up if it wants to target the big girls and boys.
£4.50 spent with epic post-viewing resentment.

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Breezy said...

Posted on Nov 27 2010 19:03 A faithful tail to jazz, and the animation is terrific. I would have liked to seen more development of the Chico and Ritas as characters, and did it really all end after the revolution? I'm not so sure.

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micro said...

Posted on Nov 23 2010 09:47 Beautiful cityscapes, thrilling music and a charming love story. I'm not one usually for animation but this is outstanding. An uplifting delight.

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