I would really liked Banderas in the part. He IS a Spaniard, after all. Though Joaquin Phoenix is untouchable in his role.

Val Kilmer deserved Best Actor, and whoever got it that yr obviously is forgettable. Kilmer is not.

I'd not seen it, heard of it, until a few years later. When a male friend realized it, he rented it immediately. My hearing not perfect then, I got more out of it later with captioning. And it's on my DVR as long as I live.