THE LOST CITY
“Cuba Libre!” — a magnificent defense of family, faith and freedom.
Should You Watch It?
You should see The Lost City if you want a serious, beautifully made historical drama that honors family, Christian faith, national heritage, liberty, democracy and capitalism. Its portrayal of Fidel Castro’s Communist dictatorship is forceful, and its defense of moral absolutes gives the political story lasting weight.
The film does not hide the cost. Very strong violence, including executions, explosions and suicide, stands alongside five obscenities and other mature content. The pace slows at times, but the movie remains deeply moving and important.
For teenagers and adults who can handle those concerns, this is worth the trip.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESIn 1958, Havana is a thriving cultural capital while Batista’s brutal rule faces resistance. Fidel Castro and Ernesto “Che” Guevara prepare their revolutionary forces to move on the city.
Fico Fellove tries to hold together his family, his music nightclub and his love for Aurora. His brothers take different paths through the political crisis, and the revolution soon threatens to tear their family and country apart.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is an exceptional film with real artistic and emotional power. The photography is lush, and the performances are fine throughout. As director and star, Andy Garcia brings passion and pain for Havana, Cuba and the Cuban people to nearly every frame.
The movie contains many brilliantly done set pieces, including the storming of the presidential palace, the hunt for Fico’s brother, confrontations with Communist leaders and customs officials, and the scenes between Fico and his father. The pace is a little slow at times, and Fico is somewhat passive in the beginning, but the film soon gathers force.
The Worldview
The Lost City strongly celebrates family bonds, liberty, democracy, Christian faith, national heritage, positive cultural traditions and moral absolutes. Its Catholic setting includes a family dinner prayer, a positive reference to Jesus driving the money lenders from the temple, and a church funeral with a hymn. The film presents family, faith and freedom as worthy virtues.
The movie clearly portrays Castro’s regime as an evil dictatorship and strongly rejects Communist and fascist totalitarianism. It also presents the injustice of Communist seizure of private property while celebrating the American Dream of owning a business. At the same time, it critiques the corruption and crime that can accompany corporate capitalism. The film suggests that the United States can be a beacon of freedom to people fleeing Communist dictatorships.
The story also implies some light libertarian or antinomian ideas about liberty, along with light false religious notions of pacifism. A couple of possible homosexual allusions or jokes are present.
The film’s longing for freedom points toward the deeper freedom Christ gives: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Very strong moral worldview celebrates and extols family bonds, liberty, democracy, Christian faith, national heritage, positive cultural traditions, and the concept of moral absolutes, and takes a very strong stand against Fidel Castro’s Communist regime and fascist forms of totalitarian tyranny, plus strong positive Christian content in a Catholic setting includes a strong family dinner prayer, a positive reference to Jesus kicking the money lenders out of the temple in Jerusalem and a church funeral with a hymn, strong pro-capitalist content shows the injustice of Communist seizure of private property (including small items) and celebrates the American Dream of owning one’s own business yet also critiques the corruption and crime that can come with corporate capitalism (especially people and organizations with too much power [as with any socio-economic system, however]), strongly positive patriotic and pro-American content and values celebrate national heritage, being faithful to one’s country, trying to protect one’s country from rapacious, corrupt and truly tyrannical leaders, and the benefits of liberty that the United States offers to those fleeing Communist dictatorships, some very light libertarian, or antinomian, false religious qualities may be implied in the movie’s definition of what liberty means as well as some light false religious notions of pacifism are suggested, and a couple possible homosexual allusions or jokes; five obscenities (including one “f” word and one apparent obscenity in Spanish) and zero profanities; very strong violence with some blood includes army officer assassinated, people storm presidential palace to assassinate dictator, people shot in street battle, police hunt down revolutionaries and kill them, one or two off-screen executions, two explosions, at least one black and white newsreel footage of Communist execution of one man whose head is blown half off, man commits suicide with gun, and older man has painful heart attack; lightly implied fornication as woman lies sleeping in bed while man in T-shirt looks out from balcony and a couple possible, but very light, homosexual allusions or jokes; upper male nudity in one scene and chorus line of women appears in bikini-type costumes showing cleavage and midriffs; alcohol use; smoking; and, betrayal, famous gangster tries to take over nightclub, brutality very strongly rebuked, and totalitarianism very strongly rebuked.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Fico’s family is tested by political conflict and personal betrayal. How can a family remain faithful when its members disagree deeply?
Ephesians 4:1–3 · Colossians 3:12–15The film contrasts liberty with totalitarian control. What does Christian freedom mean, and how is it different from simply doing whatever we want?
John 8:31–36 · Galatians 5:13Fico’s father argues for peaceful resistance, while the revolution promises a different solution to oppression. How should Christians respond to injustice and political power?
Micah 6:8 · Romans 12:17–21The film presents family, faith and national heritage as worthy virtues. How can love of country remain honorable without replacing loyalty to God?
Matthew 22:21 · Philippians 3:20The Final Word
The Lost City is a moving, beautifully crafted defense of family, faith and freedom. Its violence and mature content call for discernment, but teenagers and adults who can handle them should make the journey. WORTH THE TRIP — TEENAGERS AND ADULTS.
