CITY OF MEN: DVD

SYNOPSIS:
Best buddies Acerola (Douglas Silva) and Laranjinha (Darlan Cunha), about to turn 18; Ace has a little boy but he's a reluctant father. When they discover things about their missing fathers' pasts their solid friendship is shattered, in the middle of a war between rival drug gangs from Rio's favelas.

Review by Andrew L. Urban:
Both Douglas Silva and Darlan Cunha are playing their 18 year old selves, five years after making the internationally acclaimed City of God, whose ironic title and outstanding screenplay gathered fans worldwide. This film then is something of a sequel, and it doesn't quite live up to the original. Fernando Meirelles, who directed City of God is now producer, and it is perhaps a pity he has taken his hand off the reins.

The script is often rather obvious and clunky, the story gets a bit blurry in the middle and the ending is just too pat. Still, there are some good things, notably some wonderful clear sky shots of Rio and the beaches from the slums on the hill, and all the performances are solid.

Less effective are some of the gang battle scenes which are too confusing to follow, the camera changing points of view too often. Night shoot outs are especially problematic.

Where City of God provided a heartbreaking insight into the flavelas and gang warfare that takes young and old alike, stealing the innocence of Rio's youth, this film ends up more like a standard buddy movie set against a gangland battle scene.

September 25, 2008