[1] In the film, Arenas is born in Oriente Province, Cuba in 1943 and raised by his single mother and her parents, who soon move the entire family to Holguín.

The political climate in Cuba becomes increasingly dangerous, and in the early 1970s Arenas is arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting minors, and for publishing abroad without official consent.

The site's consensus states: "An impressionistic, fragmented look at Reinaldo Arenas, Before Night Falls' imagery manages to evoke a sense of the writer's artistry, and Bardem's strong performance holds the film together.

[8] Roger Ebert gave the film three and a half stars out of four, stating, "One is reminded a little of the Marquis de Sade, as portrayed in Quills.

"[9] Peter Travers from Rolling Stone awarded the film a full five out of five stars, writing, "In uniting to honor Arenas, Bardem and Schnabel create something extraordinary.