This 2000 film has been showing lately on one of the cable channels. I thought it was very well done, at times sad and painful to watch, a harsh and graphic critique of Castro's cruel, and mindless, persecution of writers and poets, especially gay literary artists, in Cuba. Javier Bardem and Johny Depp were outstanding in their roles.

I haven't read the book, but I've heard that it's even better than the movie (usually the case). It's on my list now.

Bardem had one line that made me laugh:

"La diferencia entre el sistema comunista y el capitalista es que, aunque los dos nos dan una patada en el culo, en el comunista te la dan y tienes que aplaudir, y en el capitalista te la dan y uno puede gritar."