posted on wordpress 8/24/14

Trigger warning for blood, violence, and I think a cap with a slur in it. Image heavy post.

I saw a couple of episodes of the series City of Men (which takes place after City of God which became a huge hit in Brazil) in one of my film classes in college. I really enjoyed the series but I wasn’t aware of the original source material until a couple of years ago. I finally got around to watching it and as stressful as it was (crime-thrillers stress me out) it was an incredible movie.

There’s a lot to be said about Brazilian films that I literally cannot even touch, go into, or really understand. City of God is a real place in Brazil in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro. It was created to get people from the favelas in Rio to the suburbs. Perhaps comparatively to council estates, project housing, wards etc. Obviously the poor residents are displaced and it becomes a hotbed for crime and stagnancy, corruption.

Brazil, having the biggest African population outside of Africa, is an incredibly diverse place. It’s very hard for Westerners, Americans, even myself to understand the race and social constructs of Brazil–the extreme racism inhabitants face the darker one becomes. The film is heavily made up of a black cast and a dark black cast. I would have to read up on Brazil’s situation more and in relation to this film although when my class watched City of Men and other Brazilian films (Bus 174 and another I forgot but didn’t really like and cannot for the life of me remember the name but I do remember the plot) racial tension and class tension run high in Brazil.

7/13/19: it’s insane how quickly things can change. Brazil’s current history and problems now, and what I now know, in context of this essay is fascinating (and sad.)

The film is less about the social issues (disagree now) and more about the issues that arise within crime (drug) communities and people living regular life. I knew it was going to be good but I have to say I’m very pleased at how much I enjoyed it. The story is incredibly fast paced and gritty but also naive and funny, in the dark humor and the youth of the characters.

Many other characters and stories are the focus, but we really see it through the eyes of our protagonist Rocket and how it has affected his life. I think without Rocket’s narration, the story wouldn’t be quite what it was. The City of God itself holds so much history of the inhabitants and our main characters that it all makes sense and it is beautifully told, shot, written, and well acted. Rocket’s enthusiasm and immaturity keeps him and his best friend (and friends) out of trouble–there’s a hilarious scene where they try to dabble in crime but keep getting thwarted because they just aren’t made for it. The movie showcases the struggles of getting out and moving on from the hood (hood = gang) and the different reasons why the boys in these gangs choose these paths. It’s 2 hours but it goes by incredibly fast as you go through just about every emotion; sadness, happiness, triumph as it’s heartwrenching, disgusting, devastating, beautiful. Think that’s about all I’ve got for now.

(oh also–Portuguese is a gorgeous language.)

if you run, the beast catches; if you stay, the beast eats.