Two brothers leave Cuba at the start of the nineteen fifties hoping to find success in America through mambo music. Cesar, the elder brother, is portrayed as a performer with an aptitude for business (played by Armand Assante), while Nestor, his younger brother, is presented as a more quiet and thoughtful musician (Antonio Banderas). Cathy Moriarty and Maruschka Detmers take on the roles of the women in their lives. "The Mambo Kings," released in 1992, brings to mind films like “The Cotton Club” from 1984, "Pollock" which came out in 2000, and even a bit of "Dirty Dancing" (1987). It isn’t as strong as those movies, but it's still something I would suggest seeing, particularly if you enjoy lively Latin music or the atmosphere of America in the nineteen fifties. Armand Assante gives a believable performance, full of energy and charm, and Antonio Banderas is well-suited to his part as the sensitive younger brother, though he’s quite different from Marlon Brando's typical roles. This was Banderas’ introduction to English-language film acting; he memorized his lines by sound and worked with a dialect coach both before and during production. I found that too many scenes occurred in clubs or residences where people were smoking, drinking, and being overly dramatic. However, the narrative improves significantly in the final section, highlighted by a memorable scene involving Desi Arnaz, Jr., which I won't describe further to avoid spoilers. The movie has a runtime of one hour and forty-four minutes and was filmed in Los Angeles. GRADE: B-

Source on TMDB