Chico & Rita (2010) User Reviews

Seductive sounds and a disarmingly warm animation style

[jamesgill-1 · 7/10 · 15 November 2010]

The new animated romance Chico and Rita follows the relationship of two young Cuban musicians: Chico is a gifted piano player looking to bring the sound of Havana to New York; Rita is a beautiful singer who treads the precarious path between Latin musicians and white investors looking to cash in on the popularity of this new music. Like all star crossed lovers, their journey is not an easy one – their musical and romantic tribulations will continue over 60 years against the striking backdrops of Havana, New York, Paris, Hollywood and Las Vegas.

The real strength of the film is its ability to portray a classic love story in both an innovative, sensual and sensitive way. The syncopated grace of Cuban Jazz combines with a disarmingly child-like animation to create a sparkling tribute to 1940s and 50s Havana culture.

The film exudes real passion for both the music of the period and the locations of the film, beautifully re-crafted within the animated landscape. The Cuban sound is brought to life with a truly uplifting assortment of records, including classics from Charlie Parker, Dizzie Gillespie and Thelonius Monk. Like the heady improvisation of a be-bop trumpeter, this film bounces between soft melody and excited fragmentation, always bursting to give the audience something new and exciting.

Yet this does not mean that the film is purely for Jazz aficionados – the affection that directors Javier Mariscal and Fernando Trueba bring to their work ensures that this film doesn't become simply a musical tribute aimed at a conceited minority. The scale of the narrative will leave you breathless, and yet the story is all told through the seemingly innocent hand of traditional cartoon animation. In a post-Pixar world, this kind of hand-drawn animation has gained a retro charm all of its own. Chico and Rita is a delicate reminder that genuine action and emotion can still be expressed without the pixellated glossiness of CGI.

Chico and Rita really succeeds in bringing the colour and vibrancy of early 50s Havana back to life – from the delightfully evocative soundtrack, to the re-telling of a classic love story through the medium of hand-drawn animation, the film is a fitting expression of the vision and compassion of its creators.

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A moving story of the troubled love affair between a man and a woman and between two countries

[clivy · 8/10 · 26 June 2011]

Like the earlier reviewer, once I saw on the DVD box that "Chico and Rita" featured the music of Woody Herman, Dizzy Gillespie, Theolonius Monk and Charlie Parker- in addition to the Cuban music!- I knew I had to see the film. I wasn't disappointed.

My father was a big band pianist and I grew up in Miami. From an early age I gained an appreciation of jazz and swing from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s and a keen awareness of Cuban culture. I used to listen to the local Spanish language radio stations and I have a deep fondness for Cuban music. Chico and Rita dazzled me from its start with its rich portrayal of life in Havana in the days when Cuba was a popular travel destination for Americans. I loved the homage to the famous Tropicana nightclub. The film doesn't shy away from showing how life in the glamorous capital was for its citizens like Chico and his friend Ramon, young black men who lack money but are talented and ambitious. From its start it reveals frankly how they are barred from entering nightclubs and hotels not just because they are poor but also because the establishments are for whites only. The beautiful Rita can gain entrance, only because she has to work as an escort for rich Yankee tourists. The movie is a tribute to the Latin American musicians and singers who became a major influence on American music and popular culture. As Chico and Ramon search for success in New York clubs and Rita becomes a Broadway and Hollywood sensation real life stars Chano Pozo and Tito Puente make appearances. I very much appreciated the nod to Nat King Cole' s making Spanish language songs hits worldwide; it was great to discover in the documentary included in the DVD that Nat King Cole's brother Freddie honored his brother's memory by adapting his style in his vocals for the film.

The animation is sensational: the portrayals of the Havana seafront and the New York skyline are breathtaking. I was tickled by the newly arrived Chico and Ramon's struggles to adjust to the unfamiliar snowscapes around them and the ice under their feet: they made me remember how I was shocked by my first winter after a lifetime in a tropical climate. The animation isn't afraid either to be frank and adult: a fight between Rita and Chico's old girlfriend doesn't show them pulling their punches.

One of the movie's highlights is a fantastic dream sequence that salutes the musicals of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Chico and Rita's love story reveals also their troubled love affair with the music that inspires them and the country that fires their ambitions. Success gives them Cadillacs, their names on marquees, and large apartments in skyscrapers, but it also brings danger and pain: Chano dies in the midst of a violent argument about money and drugs, after telling Chico and Ramon that he can't travel to the South of the United States because the racists there are viler than the ones in Cuba. Rita's stardom is hollow as she can't stay in the Las Vegas hotel that she is headlining. Her candor about the prejudice she faces kills her career.

Ultimately Chico suffers rejection from both countries he loves. He is deported from the US after being framed for drug possession; the new Cuba leaves him without a profession after it bans jazz as imperialist. The saddest moment in the movie is when the elderly Chico approaches a piano and reflects that he hasn't touched one in years.

The ruined buildings and blackouts in present day Havana are shown unflinchingly, and I was warmed by how Chico's recognition by an international singer pays tribute to Cubans who have lived for decades in isolation, often under oppression. However, I found Rita's fate unconvincing and overly sentimental. I'm moved by the thought that Chico and Rita were separated by the US taking its leave of Cuba, and cutting all relations with it. But I couldn't believe that Rita would spend 47 years in the same motel waiting for Chico to knock on her door.

Satisfied... just above

[sfchapman · 7/10 · 28 October 2011]

I loved the animation style throughout and the use of digital technology complemented the "traditional" approach. The music was infectious and the first thing I did after the film ended was to buy the soundtrack.

The story was touching, yet I felt it was lacking a little. The love story didn't see to have enough love (though I don't believe I have ever seen a sex scene in a cartoon before!). The relationship never really happened and therefore, I couldn't see why Rita would have waited a lifetime for Chico when all they did was argue and fall out.

Saying this however, I did enjoy the film and would love to see a few more animations made in this way.

Chico & Rita

[bcarlos · 9/10 · 27 March 2011]

Chico & Rita follows Chico, an old and retired Cuban pianist, as he remembers his impossible love with a jazz singer called Rita and his rise and fall as a music performer. Having taken four years to make, Chico & Rita is first and foremost visually mind-blowing. Its animation is as nothing you have seen before and the cinematography, the lights, the angles, the music, just everything related to the technical aspect of this film is absolutely perfect.

But what's best and most refreshing about this film is its old-fashioned love story. In a time where all romantic films try to be as realistic as possible, it seems unthinkable to watch a relationship like this unfold on screen. Following a bolero-like structure, the main characters fall in love as easily as they fall apart, but they never forget each other, having an outdated loyalty that is deserving of such all-time classics as Casablanca or Gone With The Wind, and ending in the brilliant and moving bittersweet final scene.

Jazz music plays a main role in the film and gets to be the third character in what we could call a love triangle between the jazz, Chico and Rita. The two title characters are extremely talented musicians that are sometimes in the position of having to choose between their lover or their musical success and fame. Real jazz performers, such as Charlie Parker or Tito Puente get enjoyable cameos in the film and, practically, all the performances in the film are very delightful and entertaining.

Although the film has some minor elements that prevents it from being a masterpiece, like the appearance near the end of Estrella Morente, they are so insignificant compared to the whole of the film that Chico & Rita is still an exceptional film appealing to an extremely large audience.

Chico & Rita is an animated old-fashioned musical romance with a highly original aesthetic, a both refreshing and outdated love story and sublime original and adapted music.

Rating: 4.5/5.

Not impressed, bored and annoyed actually.

[margineanvladdaniel · 7/10 · 29 August 2021]

This is not worthy of an oscar nomination. Even Rango was better than this. I'm sorry, but this was too clicheic and a finger pointed to the latino relationships and the consequences of being adventurous, and not choosing the right person. The graphic was something simple, different, the music was good, but that was about it..

Simply Wonderful

[corrosion-2 · 9/10 · 22 October 2010]

Chico & Rita is a sublime and highly original animated film. It is a very adult film with some animated adult situations. Set in Cuba just before and the years after the revolution, it tells the story of Chico, a talented jazz pianist and Rita, a beautiful singer. Through the story of this couple's turbulent love affair over these years, where Rita finds fame and fortune in US and Chico goes through some hard times, we also get a brief history of both Cuba and jazz music. The animation is wonderfully evocative and colorful and as for the music; well if you are a fan of jazz or Latin American music you are going to fall in love with this movie. Highly recommended.

This ain't Disney!

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 26 September 2012]

I have a few words of warning about "Chico & Rita". That's because although it IS a cartoon, it certainly is NOT a movie for kids. It's not just that the story is the sort that would bore younger audiences to death but the film also has some amazingly explicit nudity, murder, drug use and sex. In other words, don't put the kids or grandma in front of the TV when this film is playing!

As you may or may not know, "Chico & Rita" was nominated for Best Animated Feature for 2012--losing to the much more commercial "Puss 'n Boots". The two films couldn't be any more different--as "Chico & Rita" is anything but commercial. It's a small-time production with a very unique independent feel.

The film is set mostly in 1940s Cuba (but also in the US and Paris) and is the story of two folks, Chico and Rita and their very tumultuous relationship as they work their way up through the music business. Because of many bad choices and misunderstandings, the two go from being in love to being at odds with each other to eventually leading very separate lives. There is a strong sense of regret and loss about the film and it is, in some ways, a bit depressing. Fortunately, things do work out well...eventually.

I noticed that the reviews for this film were all very positive. Well, I guess I am the voice of dissent. While I liked how unique the film was in style and content, I didn't care much for the story or the characters. Frankly, I just didn't like Chico or Rita and I didn't care what happened to them. Plus, with some small changes, the film COULD have been enjoyed by a much larger audience--but I wouldn't want teens watching the film due to some of the content. Overall, a truly unique film but one which, to me, seems a bit over-hyped--perhaps due to it's prestigious nomination.

a beautifully told story that resonates long after the last sweet note has faded.

[viro-indovina · 9/10 · 26 November 2010]

As Brad Bird of Pixar fame has said, animation is not a genre, but an art form. Chico & Rita is an artfully made romantic drama that captures the hearts and imaginations of its audience through its storytelling as much as its animation. By turns reflective and reactive, this is a cosmopolitan saga of two lovers' struggle to find themselves and each other. The key notes of jealousy, passion and ambition set the story in a minor key, while the action moves with the syncopated beats of a mambo. The dialog is sharp and smart. Adults will appreciate the nuances of this excellent script. Love hurts, and the movie's main characters creatively express their bittersweet experiences with the virtuosity and greatness of the stars that they orbit and shine alongside. More of a character than a soundtrack, the music is evenly folded into the movie, as is the tension between the lovers. I wonder if people who go to see Chico & Rita only for the animation might possibly be disappointed, since it is less squash and stretch and more gouache and sketch. But the animation does convey the moods and emotions of the characters whilst taking us on a thrilling ride through dizzying cinematic vistas. The colours and lighting are somewhat stepped, but have an illustrative verisimilitude, that provides a convincing variety of bold panoramas and atmospheric interiors. Still, if you didn't like Waking Life or Belleville Rendezvous merely because of the flickering and the occasional detached 3D elements, then you may find watching this movie similarly distracting. I think that the story is compelling enough and the musical and visual elements such a treat that anyone willing to look beyond the animation is rewarded with the best that cinema can offer.

Animation made with superb technique but a disappointing story

[frankde-jong · 6/10 · 2 January 2021]

The story of "Chico and Rita" is told with a big wink towards the "Buena Vista social club" and I must admit that the end is really moving. However two people who spend 60 years to come to the conclusion that they can't live without each other stretches the probability of the story a bit too much.

The animation however is very well done. Originally mainly used in films for kids, in the first decade of the new century animation was more and more used is films for grown ups. In this respect "Chico and Rita" was preceded by films like "Les triplettes de Belleville" (2003, Sylvian Chomet), "Persepolis" (2007, Marjane Satrapi) and "Waltz with Bashir" (2008, Ari Folman).

From the character of Gollum in "The lord of the rings" (2001 - 2003, Peter Jackson) I knew that at the basis of computer generated images (CGI) there is sometimes real human acting. In the case of Gollum a real actor played this character dressed in a suit full of sensors. Based on the measurements thus generated the computer made the images we see in the film. What I never knew was that "Chico and Rita" was made according to more or less the same procedure. Actors played the part of Chico and Rita, after which artists used these images to make the drawings. Purpose of this procedure was to make facial expressions as true to nature as possible.

The Animated Oscar Nominee You Haven't Heard of... and Should!

[soncoman · 9/10 · 16 February 2012]

Too much has been made of the animated films that DIDN'T get an Oscar nod ("Cars 2" Really? REALLY?) and not enough attention has been paid to the two foreign films that DID earn a nod - "A Cat in Paris" and "Chico & Rita." I reviewed "A Cat in Paris" after screening it at last year's San Francisco International Film Festival, and was pleasantly surprised to see it on the list. Check out my review and you'll see I think it deserves its spot.

Having just screened "Chico & Rita," I can tell you that the Academy did right by this film as well. Not quite computer animation and not quite rotoscoping, the process of animating this film is too damn complicated for me to explain.

Check this out if you want to know ---> http://hobsoft.net/cases/chico

The title characters are Cuban artists. He's a musician/composer, she's a sultry singer. They both are chasing dreams - artistic and human. Their journey begins in Havana and makes stops in New York, Paris, and, ultimately, Las Vegas. It's a journey worth taking.

"Chico & Rita" has a unique look, with vibrant colors that compliment a terrific soundtrack of jazz greats. The voice work is spot-on, and the voice artists have the advantage of having a solid - though, to be honest, a wee bit clichéd - story to tell about adults for adults.

I hesitate to write that, as the first thing that comes to mind when you link "adult" and "animation" is Ralph Bakshi / "Fritz the Cat." This film does have sexual content, but it is not exploitative in any way. It is truly an animated film for the adult mind.

What a nice surprise (and a well deserved one,) if either of the two foreign film entrants in this category were to hear their names called from an Oscar envelope. "Puss in Boots?" Really? REALLY?

www.worstshowontheweb.com

Solid

[Red_Identity · 17 February 2012]

Chico and Rita is a nice little film with some great music, animation that really brings out all of the vivid colors, and atmosphere that takes you into it's setting. It all blends it in so seamlessly. It's main problem? A weak screenplay that is filled with predictable plot points and turns. It never rises to become anything special, despite some great stand-alone scenes. Still, recommended for the great blend of music and what style it has! The voice-over performances are quite effective, and it isn't hard to see the passion put into it. It's also quite refreshing to see an animated film in Spanish, and definitely for one to get an Oscar nomination. But it doesn't hold a candle to Rango, which will deservedly win the Oscar.

Beautifully animated, great music, though it has some problems with characters

[ashild-blovvig · 7/10 · 21 June 2017]

This is definitely a movie worth watching. It has one of the more beautiful animations I've seen in an animated movie. Amazingly the animated Cuba is almost an exact replica of the real Cuba in the 1940's, which is some real dedication!

The music is also incredibly soothing to listen to. This is probably one of the best soundtracks I've heard to an animated movie. Cuban jazz, a little blues and some really relaxing slow jazz. It's a joy to listen to.

There's one thing about this movie that pulls it down for me, and that is, unfortunately, the characters. Chico is straight down unlikeable to me, I really do not understand why Rita likes him. Maybe because of their shared love for music, but other than that he doesn't exactly have too many charming sides of him. He flirts with her, she rejects him, he follows her, she rejects him, she sees him play piano at a fancy place, she likes him. Then they get together, she finds out he has another woman, she splits (as well as the other woman), then (because of music?) they get back together like nothing's happened, but then he gets jealous of her wanting to make it big, she wants him, but for some reason, the other woman has found him again and has claimed him again (without knowing why she wants him) and this goes on and on. And Chico says at some point to Rita: "I know I've been a jerk, but I'm here now and I love you!". No apology, no explanation, no effort to make it better, he just expects her to be happy he's there.

In short Chico is kind of a douche, and Rita is very easily turned over.

There are some holes here and there. We don't know why Chico's friend Hermano betrays him (except he might have been jealous, but we don't really know). Why did Rita stay in Vegas? To wait for Chico apparently (Rita doesn't really DO anything in the movie, things happen to her mostly).

In the end, I did enjoy this movie, despite its flaws with character and story. There are some tiny moments I wish they'd animate in here and there. Things progress really fast in this movie, but I can understand that since it's only one and a half hour long and it's animated with lots of details. The ending is not what I would expect, it's a little lazy.

But watch it, it's still worth it

A frustrating romance aside from some good tunes

[blott2319-1 · 3/10 · 4 January 2022]

Chico & Rita is a film about a tumultuous relationship between a Cuban piano player and a singer. My appreciation for this film kind of starts and ends with the music. I like the style of the songs, and they certainly increased my enjoyment of the movie. I appreciate the way the passion for music brought these two people together, and how it played an integral part in the ups-and-downs of their relationship. I do wish that the big song that is so vital to the climax were more of a show-stopper. It didn't stand out to me as being particularly memorable or all that much more impressive than the other songs sprinkled throughout the film. Still, the music was all solid and in a genre I appreciate. I would gladly listen to a soundtrack any day. Sadly, when I say my appreciation begins and ends with the music, that's not much of an exaggeration. I did not enjoy the animation in Chico & Rita. I'm good with 2-D animation, it holds a warm nostalgic quality for me, but I like the art to look better than what I could draw (and believe me, I'm no artist.)

The plot, likewise, was a slog for me. This could get a bit spoiler-filled, so you might want to stop reading here if you haven't seen the film... Chico isn't a charming protagonist, and I found myself wishing Rita could find a better man. Yet her decisions of who to romance (when things didn't work out with Chico) felt quite mercenary which made her tough to sympathize with as well. It's one of those on-again-off-again romances that ends up frustrating me more than enchanting me. As things continue to come between them, I can't help thinking that is a good thing, and they should remain apart. The ending lacked any redemption or catharsis in my opinion, because each time they get together they just hurt one another and go their separate ways, so why would I assume a reunion after decades would be any different. All in all, I simply wasn't invested in the romance which was the central driving force of the plot. Chico & Rita had moments that I was hoping would redeem it for me, but most of the way through I was just enjoying the tunes and trying to tune out the rest.

Perrito Caliente

[owen-watts · 7/10 · 17 December 2021]

Not the most ground-breaking of plots - but it sure is pretty. The cityscapes in particular are beautiful and the music is well-represented. It's very atmospheric and although the ending feels quite old fashioned the narrative is woven into history with admirable authenticity.

Absolutely wonderful and touching

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 23 March 2012]

As a big animation fan, I loved Chico and Rita, one of the most beautiful and most unique films I have seen recently. I also didn't care much for Estrella Morente, but that wasn't enough to be a massive problem. The film has one of the most unique visual styles I've seen not just in recent memory but perhaps even ever, and it looks gorgeous. Everything from the colours, sceneries and colours are rich in detail and beautiful on the eyes. Chico and Rita is a very musically rich film as well, with Cuban and Jazz music providing so much character to the atmosphere. The two titular characters are likable and engaging, the screenplay is good if nothing completely mind-blowing and the story is very touching. In conclusion, a wonderful film, animated or not. 9/10 Bethany Cox

I'm not a fan of animation...

[jjedif · 7/10 · 22 April 2012]

but I understand why such a movie would be very difficult to make as a film with actors and sets.

Even if the Cuban communists authorities allowed the exiled Bebo Valdez to make his film in Cuba, it would be almost impossible to re-create most of the scenes in Havana.

Thus, animation makes sense and it gives the creators of the film complete control over the creative process.

Still, I didn't think the animation itself was as good as it could have been.

But because I am somewhat familiar with the history of and somehwat familiar with 20th century Cuban music, the animation wasn't an issue for me.

Yeah, it's a bit sappy and melodramatic as far as the storyline of love between Chico and Rita goes.

But I found I could get into the music and so the other elements of the film didn't really matter.

I think it's just a matter of knowing what you are going to see...and not see.

If you like the music, you'll like the film.

A Chico Chico Chic ...

[writers_reign · 8/10 · 22 November 2010]

As far as animation goes I can take or leave the entries that have appeared over the last few years but once I read that the soundtrack of Chico and Rita featured the likes of Woody Herman, Dizzy Gillespie, Theolonius Monk and Charly Parker I decided to check it out. It didn't disappoint; in addition to an outstanding soundtrack the animation itself was of an earlier age which complemented the time-frame (late forties, early fifties). There was even a 'well-made' screenplay thrown in for good measure, one that featured a beginning, a middle and an end. Okay, it was hackneyed to say the least - muso meets thrush, muso gets thrush, muso loses thrush - but still managed to hold the attention.

Chico & Rita

[negatively-positive-girl · 7/10 · 21 December 2017]

Liked the stylistic animation and design. Light hearted story. A bit forgettable, but good vibes.

Lovely

[zetes · 9/10 · 29 January 2012]

The second foreign nominee for the Academy Awards' Best Animated Feature in 2011, there has actually been buzz about this one since last year's Oscars (it debuted at Telluride in 2010 and also played at Toronto, but is not seeing a commercial release in the U.S. until February of 2012; it already saw a release in most European countries in late 2010 or 2011). That buzz is, thankfully, quite deserved, because this one is just wonderful. A simple story, sure, but a touching one about a young man and woman in Havana who begin a romance in 1948. They are musicians and get together through their art, but unfortunately petty jealousies keep getting in the way of their love. After initial success, Rita is swept off to New York City to become famous without Chico. He follows a few years later and finds his own fame, but the two seem destined to remain separate. The animation, like the story, is quite simple but really beautiful. It kind of reminds me of Waltz with Bashir, although it's not rotoscoped - at least not as extensively as Waltz with Bashir was. Rita, I must say, is the sexiest animated character since Jessica Rabbit - and she's not nearly so shy. It's kind of funny, but on account of this film, the Best Animated Feature category has far more nudity in it than all nine of the Best Picture nominees. Of course, as the characters are Cuban musicians, there's a ton of wonderful music throughout. I found the film deeply touching, and it brought me to tears at the end. This is far and away the best film among the four I've seen in its Oscar category this year (and I somehow doubt that Puss in Boots will eventually blow it out of the water!). Highly recommended.

Stylish and high on music energy.

[Animany94 · 7/10 · 14 October 2019]

Chico & Rita was good in the technical departments and nothing you've seen before. The rather flat character designs moving in a 3D environment was different from many films made these days.

Essentially a slice of life of a musician who reminisces upon his career in which he met his love and followed her everywhere be it on purpose or by coincidence. He meets famous jazz musicians who aren't always good company, but keeps in touch with an old friend of his as an anchor in the harsh life of musicians.

While I didn't fully connect with the characters, I enjoyed the music and the cameos from the historical musicians and the flashback angle the film followed to make Chico a little more sympathetic than that jerk he more than once came off as. And the music and animation style made it unique in both look and feel.

Really likable, little, animated film.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 8/10 · 15 February 2012]

This is a movie done not by any big animation studios but it's a British and Spanish animated co-production instead. This means that the movie already has an unique style of its own, that works out as something fresh and quite charming.

What I foremost liked about this movie that it got buildup and approached like an actual movie. The camera handling, the way the animated characters 'act', really, this movie might just as well had been a life action movie and things would had been exactly the same.

Except for its look of course. The movie has a real pleasant and bright look over it. Its for most part set on Cuba and you really feel its special atmosphere, while watching this movie. Besides, the animation might not look photo-realistic, the backgrounds are still often really great looking and so is the way all of the characters move and show expressions. It really is a truly great movie from an animation perspective.

But also story-wise this is a great, sweet little movie. It's a romantic one, that involves a love story between 2 musicians, the one a singer the other a piano player. You can tell they fit well together and also should be together but due to many different circumstances they often loose track of each other and end up living their own lives and have their own musical careers, while still running into each other, every now and then.

It all is being supported by some fine jazz music and if you are a jazz lover, this movie is already an absolute must-see for you! And no, I myself am not even a jazz lover but I could still really appreciate the music in this movie and what it did for its story and overall atmosphere.

It's also most definitely a movie for adults only. And not just because the movie features some nudity and a pretty graphic sex scene in it but also simply because of its story and the way its getting told. Like I said, it's just being like a life action movie with its approach, so don't simply let the fact that its animated scare you off. This just simply is a great movie, that deserves to be seen by more.

This in short is a surprisingly good animated movie, with a sweet little story in at and a great overall style and atmosphere to it!

8/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

caliente

[abcvision · 7/10 · 3 October 2013]

Chico and Rita is an animated movie that goes to the old school world of Cuba, it is a look back on the musician Chico is reflecting on the one that got away, Rita. On the DVD, I reviewed the making of this movie and found it more interesting than the movie itself. Apparently they used real actors and blended their movements with the background color into a masterful combination. A real testament to the ability to create a movie. Great music, insight, and love story, take a journey into old Cuba. The story is believable and really portrays that Latin spice. I think that it would make an excellent regular movie and is the timeless story of lost love.

Slow moving

[cherold · 4/10 · 21 June 2017]

I took a look at this because of so many glowing reviews, but to me it seems like little more than a standard melodrama that has been animated.

The animation itself doesn't thrill me. Character design is fine but not especially interesting, and the most notable visual aspect of the movie is its wide shots of Havana and New York.

The architecture is, in fact, more likable than the cast. Chico is just a jerk, and the movie failed to convince me I should care about him or his on-and-off romance with Rita.

This is also one of those animated movies that doesn't really do anything with the animation part. You could make this as a live action movie without losing much.

For me, this movie was just plain boring.

A nice animated film that deserved the nomination that it got

[Rectangular_businessman · 8/10 · 6 March 2012]

"Chico & Rita" was a nice film. In many ways, it's an ordinary love story, but it's beautifully told: Even when the character's designs are pretty stylish (Even if not everyone like the aesthetic of those designs, personally I think that were done well) The sceneries and the voice acting were quite good too, but the best element from the movie is the excellent music that appears on the film, giving it a whimsical, almost dream-like atmosphere. Even the cheesiest part of the story ended being effective due the combination of that beautiful music with the stylish animation.

On the bad side, the plot is somewhat slow and even boring at some parts of the story that could have been done better (Or just being obviated, since those parts didn't add major interest to the main storyline) Too be honest, I was expecting a bit more from this movie, but even when "Chico & Rita" isn't the great masterpiece that it could have been, it is certainly a highly enjoyable animated movie for adults, that handles very well all the subtle elements from every good love-story.

Bravo!! Solid 7 Stars from me!

[huggibear · 7/10 · 20 July 2017]

I am a fan of animated flicks! I don't watch too many adult animations, but I definitely like Disney, DreamWorks and Pixar animations. This one is out of Spain, albeit, not the works of my country. So it's interesting to see all the animation differences across the countries and all around this world. I like this movie because it seemed real to me. It could have been made into a movie as well with real characters. The Jazz and Cuban music chosen is phenomenal and the animation is incredible as well, especially the kiss. I thought the story line was touching and the ending almost made me cry. I didn't know the time lines though and I wished I had paid more attention to that. How many years went by? Watch it, it's very good!