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The crowing achievement of this year, City of
Men, gives another Fernando Meirelles
(producer) perspective on the lives of young people living in the depressed
neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil. Where his award-winning film City of God featured two youngsters growing up in Rio"s violent neighborhoods, Men focuses on two
inseparable teens about to disconnect in the same distressed world.
In this story, gangs have taken over the three
hills surrounding the city. Living in
strong holds, the young gang lords control the areas beneath their summit. Ace (Silva) and Wallace (Cunha), who live on
Dead-End Hill, are very close friends whose long-time relationship is about to
be stressed by fate.
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Rated: R
Starring: Douglas Silva, Darlan Cunha, Jonathan Haagensen, Rodrigo Dos Santos, Luciano Vidigal
Directed by: Paulo Morelli
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In and out of work at seventeen, and
raising a child, Ace has taken a job as a guard, much like his father had
before him. Wallace, a delivery boy for
a local store, has always wanted to meet the father he never knew. Ace's hardship and Wallace's focus is
starting to draw the two apart.
But, the gangs above them have
become restless and the leader of Dead-End Hill has been overthrown, causing
unrest with the neighboring mobs. Now
with a war between the gangs looming, Ace and Wallace are about to find
themselves in the middle of the battle when Ace inadvertently obtains
information implicating him in the overthrow.
With Ace in hiding, it's up to Wallace to show the strength of the bond
of friendship between them.
Morelli had me completely immersed
in the lives of the people of Dead-End Hill, while bringing his two main
characters to life with a trek from the hillside to the beautiful beaches of Rio. Although he
is setting you up for the difference of the living standards and violence of
the two worlds, this brilliant introduction of the two main characters creates
a bleak impression of a people from a distressed area.
The outstanding camera work on City
of Men
provides a dark look at the forbidden streets.
Shots of the beautiful Rio beaches are
in deep contrast to the disturbing slums of the hills. With the city set on downward spiraling
disrepair streets, the views of people moving through the corridors gave me a
feeling of their hopelessness. Shots
from cameras set up high provide vistas of calmer, richer Rio
just miles away. It's this disparity
that gives the viewer a chilling feeling of life in its deepest distress.
Be advised the film is spoken in Portuguese at a fairly
fast pace with English subtitles, which may be a problem for slow readers.
FINAL ANALYSIS: City of Men
is a brilliant film that captures the grit and pathos of growing up in the
slums of Rio.
This Reviewer's Rating:   4 / 5
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