Chico & Rita was released in 2010, but its vibrant, expressive hand-drawn animation hearkens back to a different time. Fitting, then, that the film is about nostalgia; it’s a romance between the eponymous couple, beginning in Cuba and making stops all around the world from there, framed by the recollections of an older Chico.
The first Spanish language film to be nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars, Chico & Rita is a film that, despite some slip-ups, feels alive with atmosphere, music, and passion. Centering around jazz music, it’s essentially a musical — and the song and dance is more invigorating than a lot of live action additions to the genre.
Chico & Rita is an R-rated film with mature content, but if you are in the mood for something different give it a watch and we will discuss it in the upcoming indie review!
Edited by: Hannah Wilkes