In The Time Of The Butterflies
In the fight for freedom, love was her most powerful weapon.
Salma Hayek (Traffic) gives a powerful, passionate performance as an idealistic young woman who wages a daring sturggle for freedom against a murderous dictator (Academy Award® nominee) Edward James Olmos) in this moving thriller that, "with brutal simplicity, dramatizes the personal toll of political tyranny" (San Francisco Chronicle).
For generations, General Rafael Trujillo (Olmos) has ruled the Dominican Republic with a mixture of terror and savagery... until Minerva Mirabal (Hayek) dares to oppose him. Inspired by her love for a rebel leader (Marc Anthony), Minerva and her sisters - known as Las Mariposas (The Butterflies) - endure unimagineable hardships in a battle for the very soul of a nation. But as their acts of bravery gain notoriety, Trujillo's forces close in, determined to put an end to Minerva's heroics.
Member Reviews
Love It - bbryon1
Excellent movie, brilliantly done in every way. Incredible that it is a part of history. You will enjoy every moment. It definitely tries to avoid the complex web of liaisons in the dictators crew as well as the resistance. It also portraits as vividly as it is possible the characters, mainly of Minerva Mirabal, but also those of Manolo, Maria Teresa and Patria. I really enjoyed it!Sorry - It is Not A Thriller ! - Gyaan
There is something very special about Spanish movie-making that I like . Of course there is a lot of crap , like in each country but this movie , along with others ( VOLVER - PAN - LIBERTARIAS ...) have a pace that Hollywood is nearly unable to produce .
This is an artistic film and should be watched as one - not as a thriller or mystery genre ! That does no good to the storytelling and will even destroy the watcher's open mind , since he/she waits for suitable action .
It is not a historical drama either , nor a love story , it is - - - and here the words are getting rare to describe this movie . As if the director wants to confront us with different situations like in a mirror to leave us there for a moment and to think it over .
But that does not mean that the story is chopped into meta-physic chunks , not at all . It flows from the beginning to the end , bringing out aspects of those lives that marked the people - and us . The actors support very well this view - no outstanding performances that hit you in the stomach but everything is like a solid , artistic bloc .
In spite of the brutal tragedies and horrendous suffering that parts of the people of the Dominican Republic had to endure the makers did not emphasize on outspoken brutality on the screen . Another good point since we learn , know and feel their situation through the actors' playing .
The fact that the Spanish population talks in English ( with an accent , of course !) doesn't bother me at all , for me it's part of an artistic creation . And whatever some people might say , movie-making is still an art - - or it should be .
I enjoyed watching this and encourage all people to give it a try who want to see an interesting story , a well-made movie and who like to have some after-thoughts with their fellow-watchers.Good Movie, Honest Review - jennyg
This review is coming from someone who has never read the book nor did I know anything about this before. For someone with a clean slate about this subject matter like myself, I found this movie engaging and interesting. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical dramas and who likes the desire to research concepts. This movie has inspired me to better my knowledge of the historical context of Dominican Republic.
The acting was good with a lot of familiar faces. I felt as though I could have gotten to know the characters a bit more, however, this could be due to my own lack of knowledge and maybe not the films fault.
Member Reviews
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Love It - bbryon1
Excellent movie, brilliantly done in every way. Incredible that it is a part of history. You will enjoy every moment. It definitely tries to avoid the complex web of liaisons in the dictators crew as well as the resistance. It also portraits as vividly as ...Sorry - It is Not A Thriller ! - Gyaan
There is something very special about Spanish movie-making that I like . Of course there is a lot of crap , like in each country but this movie , along with others ( VOLVER - PAN - LIBERTARIAS ...) have a pace that Hollywood is nearly unable to produce .
This ...Good Movie, Honest Review - jennyg
This review is coming from someone who has never read the book nor did I know anything about this before. For someone with a clean slate about this subject matter like myself, I found this movie engaging and interesting. I would recommend it to anyone who ...