---
title: "Memories of Underdevelopment: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/memories-of-underdevelopment/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/memories-of-underdevelopment"
critics_score: 79
critics_reviews: 8
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Memories of Underdevelopment (1968): what the critics said

Critics' score 79 from 8 reviews: 6 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative.

Most critics respond warmly to Memories of Underdevelopment, with praise clustering around its blend of fiction, still photography and documentary footage. The reviews find this approach politically complex, conveying post-revolutionary Havana without reducing it to propaganda or an uncomplicated account of revolutionary progress. Sergio Corrieri’s performance also draws admiration: his charm and emotional and intellectual paralysis give critics a compelling way into the film’s treatment of a man at odds with the history around him.

The reservations concern the demands the film makes and the distance it keeps from its protagonist. Empire finds it challenging but worth the attention, while The Hollywood Reporter notes that Sergio earns interest more readily than sympathy. The verifiable responses range from measured approval to strong enthusiasm, rather than sharp disagreement. Two entries lack sufficient accessible review text to establish their verdicts, so they offer no reliable evidence of a dissenting argument.

## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez

Rating 4/4. 14 May 2003. 

Gonzalez finds the film difficult and enigmatic, portraying Cuba as trapped in an unfulfilled revolutionary promise. He praises its politically charged blend of fiction, still photography, and documentary footage.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/memories-of-underdevelopment/)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 10 July 2008. 

Bradshaw calls the film tremendous, fascinating and a must-see. He praises its blend of dialogue, still photographs and documentary footage for conveying post-revolutionary Havana without dogmatism or wishful thinking.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/jul/11/filmandmusic1.filmandmusic21)

## The New Yorker

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 

The critic calls it one of the great films of its era. They praise Sergio Corrieri’s performance and single out the Hemingway Museum sequence for its rich ironies.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/memories-of-underdevelopment)

## Total Film — Total Film

Rating 4/5. 11 July 2008. 

The review is positive, finding the film a vibrant and surprising work rather than Marxist propaganda. It praises Sergio Corrieri’s portrayal of a charming man emotionally and intellectually paralyzed by history.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/memories-of-underdevelopment-review/)

## Empire — David Parkinson

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 9 June 2006. 

The critic finds the film challenging but well worth the attention it demands. He praises its complex political perspective and use of documentary footage to illuminate Sergio’s outsider status.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/memories-underdevelopment-review/)

## The Hollywood Reporter — THR Staff

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 12 January 2018. 

The review regards the restored film as a distinctive, still-relevant landmark and a useful introduction to Cuba’s cinematic history. It praises Alea’s blend of documentary and fictional techniques, while noting the protagonist earns interest more than sympathy.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/memories-underdevelopment-1074321/)

## The New York Times

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 20 May 1973. 

The page content is inaccessible, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No specific praise or complaint can be verified.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1973/05/20/archives/cuban-memories-you-wont-soon-forget.html)

## Time Out — RM

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 

The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. Its metadata gives historical context about the Cuban Film Institute, but no specific praise or complaint is available.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/memories-of-underdevelopment)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/memories-of-underdevelopment.md