Susan Granger’s review of “City of God” (Miramax Films)
Buckle up for a remarkable cinema verite journey through the murderous violence and hopelessness of the favelas, or slums, of Rio. Seen by a record 3.2 million Brazilians, this slick Portuguese-language film serves as a portal into a bleak, impoverished world ruled by ruthless adolescents. Based on a novel by Paulo Lins, who grew up amidst the City of God squalor, it’s a contemporary “Lord of the Flies,” ruled by young warlords, called runts, who are armed with automatic weapons and make a living selling drugs. The corrupt police force plays a cat-and-mouse game with the thugs, as many of the residents prove loyal to the gangs who serve as conduits to necessities like food and medicine. “I smoke and I snort,” one small hoodlum brags. “I’ve killed and robbed. I’m a man.” The epic structure follows various characters and their crimes over three decades. Beginning in the late ’60s, the story starts with two kids heading in opposite directions. Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), the narrator, wants to be a photographer but can’t afford a camera, while vicious Little Ze (Leandro Firmino da Hora) is eager to embark on a life of crime. As the years pass, Rocket acquires a camera and his photojournalism bears witness to the cold carnage wreaked by Little Ze as the cycle of violence continues. Credit director Fernando Meirelles and screenwriter Braulio Mantovani for the humor and fast pace which enliven the authentic content, evoking memories of Hector Babenco’s “Pixote” (1981). And kudos to documentarian Katia Lund, a 36 year-old Brown University graduate, who was instrumental in finding and casting the children. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “City of God” is a brutal, blistering 9, proving why the Latin American film industry is thriving.
