This film about love and loss is archly stylised at the beginning and it's the quality of the performances rather than the script and direction that finally see it hit its stride two-thirds of the way through. Alfred Molina is Juan Perez, a Cuban dissident who, released from prison after 15 years, heads for America and Carmela (Anjelica Huston), the wife who, with their daughter (Trini Alvarado), got out of the country. On the way he encounters ex-hooker Dottie (Marisa Tomei), also a Perez. Accidentaly labelled husband and wife, Juan and Dottie take on other family members, forming a unit that enables them to pick up sponsorship and stay. While Juan is hunting for Carmela, he is of course falling for Dottie, while Carmela is flattered by the attentions of a local cop (Chazz Palminteri). These four central performances are well considered (especially Huston's), but rather undercut by a sometimes over-tight, almost farcical treatment, and by an ending that's too pat and abrupt to convince.

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