This documentary is about a man who pursues his dreams relentlessly. For me as a perfectionist, it was inspiring to see how much he believes in himself. I mean, "Matteo" is this musician who's whiter than white, struggling financially, barely able to speak Spanish and still he keeps coming back to Cuba to record his album. It's obvious people don't take him very seriously, and still he has Cuban friends who totally have his back. Some scenes in this movie are so painfully cringey, also it's a bit too long, could have been wrapped up in an hour. And yet...you expect him to fail so hard but in the end, success comes from an unlikely place. That's why this movie is very uplifting for anybody who ever wanted to make art or music. Gets you thinking "If he could do it somehow, why can't I?"
4 Reviews
The "phenomenon" of Matthew Stoneman
davidneldred30 October 2018
Joe Leydon's review in Variety magazine (August 21, 2015) of the Matthew Stoneman documentary focuses predominately on a negative evaluation of the personality features of a man who presents, in this film, with several psychological symptoms that could be said to be characteristic of the autism syndrome. Matthew Stoneman is apparently not a warm and charismatic character. Nor does he seem to be capable of creating in-depth emotional relationships, his living style borders on messy chaos, at times even disgusting, and he is apparently incapable of executive tasks (his production costs are astronomical, his organization of his life sub-existential). The film is, however, a documentary about a man who is both a musical phenomena - true, weird and incapable in several emotional features - yet composes and sings music in the Son tradition of Cuba. And gathers together for his CD some amazing Cuban musicians and, as mentioned in the film, he sings like an angel. Leydon spends most of his time focusing on his distaste for the man's personality and seems to miss the point entirely when he then judges the film as lacking a classical Hollywood climax. His criticism runs just short of the type of mobbing that people like Stoneman meet as children on the school playground. If one can get beyond their likes or dislikes of personality characteristics and focus on the music, which is what Stoneman is exclusively about, then Stoneman is a phenomenal musician, with an exceptionally lovely voice and produces an exceptional CD with excellent Cuban musicians who judge him for his music and care little about his personality flaws.
Awkward and sad
NatanSCH10 July 2016
One could perceive this as an indie/alternative documentary and there is nothing wrong with that. However i feel that even when you would see this documentary as such the shots remain very awkward and "sad", you can claim that it was done on purpose however that even makes it worse for me. Throughout the documentary i had a few big questions towards the story,scenes and people within the Docu: que significado, Why am i watching this, why do i need to know this and why do other people want to see this? I guess that i should have read the storyline before watching it, but then again never judge a Docu by its storyline. Overall this docu was unable to convey a clear story and it left me with a feeling that could be compared to standing in the rain while longing for home. That could be the emotion that the directors wanted you to have, or at least would be OK with conveying such an emotion to the viewer. Here again i don't think that would be such a bad thing if the storyline had some kind of significance to it.
If you like his music, maybe watch! I say maybe, because it's all round awkward!
hayley_aew23 February 2024
Warning: Spoilers
God, where to begin!
If you like his music, maybe watch! I say maybe, because it's all round awkward!
I found the long drawn out shots and scenes really needless, this doc could have been cut in half and then some.
At times, I liked Mateo the person, and then it was shortly ruined by seeing scenes of him oogling at Cuban woman. And you come to realize, is the director trying to show Mateo's true self? Is he showing a glimpse into this person's true personality, a shy and awkward American who doesn't want to bother with American people. But thrives on being different in Cuba and at the end Japan? I feel like, there is hidden reasons for why he's living like a recluse and in such gross conditions in the USA. But why doesn't he move full time to Cuba?
There are many questions left unanswered. And so many points which would have made for a better/more interesting watch. Such as, why does he have this weird facination about Cuba? They brielfy mentioned he went to jail for robbery - But for how long was he doing this robbery/theiving? Was he alone? How did he get caught? Was it in the USA? Or Cuba? If Cuba, then this could explain why he seems to like it over in Cuba, because he learnt the language and I dunno met people there to bond with in prison? Who knows. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Cuba. But what or why is he facinated by that particular country? And not say, other Latin American/neighboring countries? Other than his oogling at Cuban woman!
I understand it's cheaper living/money in Cuba so perhaps that's why he enjoys also going there because the dollar goes further. And he can feed his sexual appetite too... Which also brings me to such an awkward and really weird experience of watching Mateo constantly checking out women, slapping one on the ass (I think was one of his gfs, I say one... I'll come to that in a minute), generally looking like he's out on the browl at nights. There is far too many scenes which drag out, where we see Mateo just standing alone watching ladies of the nights, or people having fun/good time, and it continued in the latter half too where he ends up in Japan! It just made him look more like a predator all the time. Very hard to feel sorry for him... Now, I got so confused with him and the 3 different women who appear with Mateo throughout this doc. One with a child, who I think a lady says she hopes is his... Where they all his gf's? I think in the end I assumed that they were all prostitues, because he even visited prostitues (and a lady mentions that women are cheaper there in Cuba). Did we need to see this? No. I don't think anyone ever needed to see this, it's besides me how Mateo even thought: 'Hey yeah, add this in the doc. Because I want people to see me getting it on with a woman.' Strange right? Actually, there is one scene where I'm sure it's a prostitue, but for all I know could be another one of his gf's comes by, he does a little song on his bed and she gets nude. Wow. Yeah! No, never needed to see that in my LIFE! And the black out and hearing them do it. Jeeez, I felt so dirty hearing and just grossed out thinking that it happened. Again, not really making me feel sorry for this guy...
Now, to the family interviewing scenes. I actually liked his parents. Sounded very endearing (apart from his mom saying a musican kid is cute but not good for them.) Which, ironically she was right, I think Mateo let it all go to his head. From what I could gather from all this part, sounds like Mateo had a very good upbringing and is spoilt.
He makes demands and expects his parents to always obey. And the fact he never goes to see them, even when in the area really was sad to hear. I think, Mateo will regret this in years to come when they are no longer around.
Again, not really winning me over liking Mateo when finding out about all of his family relationship.
There is a REALLLY weird scene randomly midway through, with Mateo in the forest skullking around, you hear his singing overtop. And then he stops, and hides being a tree trunk, where you see a car pull in and out steps his mom in the distance. He doesn't go and talk to her, he just watches. It was honestly really creepy. Why have that? Why keep that in? And most of all, WHY do that?? Go and say Hi to your mom!
I do wonder if Mateo actually annoyed the director or creeped him out with all of his, unusal ways and gross living habbits in the US that the director wanted to expose him.
All in all, it's too drawn out. He seems very self-entitled. Really creepy towards women, and he never seems to understand what love his. Just sex, it seems. And he has a massive thing for chonky thighs and asses. See, did I need to know this? NO! But I do, cos that's what's mostly it's about. Music and his likes about Cuban woman!
Mid-way through I wasn't even routing for the guy. So him spending loads, to 'make it' and gets notiriety I didn't even enjoy. The way he speaks to the Cuban's he sounds like a right con-man too. I don't think it fully explained things on any of his deals with them. And most of all, I've heard that crime is quite rampant in Cuba, so how the hell has this guy not been a target for any of that? Not that I want him to be, but I'm shocked. And again, if he has it would actually have been more interesting to watch than what he likes about women.
Right I am going to end this review now. It honestly annoyed me watching this. His music is okay. But now knowing him more as a person, gross. This never needed to be made in my opinion. (Or maybe he was paid by Cuba to promote going there? - Conspiricy theories I shall keep pondering.)
If you like his music, maybe watch! I say maybe, because it's all round awkward!
I found the long drawn out shots and scenes really needless, this doc could have been cut in half and then some.
At times, I liked Mateo the person, and then it was shortly ruined by seeing scenes of him oogling at Cuban woman. And you come to realize, is the director trying to show Mateo's true self? Is he showing a glimpse into this person's true personality, a shy and awkward American who doesn't want to bother with American people. But thrives on being different in Cuba and at the end Japan? I feel like, there is hidden reasons for why he's living like a recluse and in such gross conditions in the USA. But why doesn't he move full time to Cuba?
There are many questions left unanswered. And so many points which would have made for a better/more interesting watch. Such as, why does he have this weird facination about Cuba? They brielfy mentioned he went to jail for robbery - But for how long was he doing this robbery/theiving? Was he alone? How did he get caught? Was it in the USA? Or Cuba? If Cuba, then this could explain why he seems to like it over in Cuba, because he learnt the language and I dunno met people there to bond with in prison? Who knows. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Cuba. But what or why is he facinated by that particular country? And not say, other Latin American/neighboring countries? Other than his oogling at Cuban woman!
I understand it's cheaper living/money in Cuba so perhaps that's why he enjoys also going there because the dollar goes further. And he can feed his sexual appetite too... Which also brings me to such an awkward and really weird experience of watching Mateo constantly checking out women, slapping one on the ass (I think was one of his gfs, I say one... I'll come to that in a minute), generally looking like he's out on the browl at nights. There is far too many scenes which drag out, where we see Mateo just standing alone watching ladies of the nights, or people having fun/good time, and it continued in the latter half too where he ends up in Japan! It just made him look more like a predator all the time. Very hard to feel sorry for him... Now, I got so confused with him and the 3 different women who appear with Mateo throughout this doc. One with a child, who I think a lady says she hopes is his... Where they all his gf's? I think in the end I assumed that they were all prostitues, because he even visited prostitues (and a lady mentions that women are cheaper there in Cuba). Did we need to see this? No. I don't think anyone ever needed to see this, it's besides me how Mateo even thought: 'Hey yeah, add this in the doc. Because I want people to see me getting it on with a woman.' Strange right? Actually, there is one scene where I'm sure it's a prostitue, but for all I know could be another one of his gf's comes by, he does a little song on his bed and she gets nude. Wow. Yeah! No, never needed to see that in my LIFE! And the black out and hearing them do it. Jeeez, I felt so dirty hearing and just grossed out thinking that it happened. Again, not really making me feel sorry for this guy...
Now, to the family interviewing scenes. I actually liked his parents. Sounded very endearing (apart from his mom saying a musican kid is cute but not good for them.) Which, ironically she was right, I think Mateo let it all go to his head. From what I could gather from all this part, sounds like Mateo had a very good upbringing and is spoilt.
He makes demands and expects his parents to always obey. And the fact he never goes to see them, even when in the area really was sad to hear. I think, Mateo will regret this in years to come when they are no longer around.
Again, not really winning me over liking Mateo when finding out about all of his family relationship.
There is a REALLLY weird scene randomly midway through, with Mateo in the forest skullking around, you hear his singing overtop. And then he stops, and hides being a tree trunk, where you see a car pull in and out steps his mom in the distance. He doesn't go and talk to her, he just watches. It was honestly really creepy. Why have that? Why keep that in? And most of all, WHY do that?? Go and say Hi to your mom!
I do wonder if Mateo actually annoyed the director or creeped him out with all of his, unusal ways and gross living habbits in the US that the director wanted to expose him.
All in all, it's too drawn out. He seems very self-entitled. Really creepy towards women, and he never seems to understand what love his. Just sex, it seems. And he has a massive thing for chonky thighs and asses. See, did I need to know this? NO! But I do, cos that's what's mostly it's about. Music and his likes about Cuban woman!
Mid-way through I wasn't even routing for the guy. So him spending loads, to 'make it' and gets notiriety I didn't even enjoy. The way he speaks to the Cuban's he sounds like a right con-man too. I don't think it fully explained things on any of his deals with them. And most of all, I've heard that crime is quite rampant in Cuba, so how the hell has this guy not been a target for any of that? Not that I want him to be, but I'm shocked. And again, if he has it would actually have been more interesting to watch than what he likes about women.
Right I am going to end this review now. It honestly annoyed me watching this. His music is okay. But now knowing him more as a person, gross. This never needed to be made in my opinion. (Or maybe he was paid by Cuba to promote going there? - Conspiricy theories I shall keep pondering.)
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