Review of Aquarius (2016) by Nino G — 25 Jun 2017

The most significant in "Aquarius" is its explicit range of understandings and possibilities. It is a film where the public is invited to be also author, thus, can stick and build the story that suits him. Little freedom seen in Brazilian cinema.

Inversely contradictory to what is presented on the screen, "Aquarius" begins much more for the end than for a really beginning. His narrative explores the cyclical state of the human condition, where even the belief of continuous advances, whether in interpersonal relations or with technologies. Jumps that seek to conceal the lack of perspectives for recurring ills generation after generation, only amplifying their problematic and making sure to circle specific classes. As for example: the sewer pipe on Boa Viagem beach in Recife, which separates the rich part of the poor. Housing and real estate growth is common on both sides, as is the historical mimesis of inequalities and particular interests.

Made in 2016, the film has the screenplay and direction of Kleber Mendonça Filho, who had already attracted the attention of the public and critics with "O Som ao Redor", of 2013. In "Aquarius" we follow through an optic testimonial of Moments and oscillating between significant and insignificant in the life of Clara (Sônia Braga), the greatest moment being the phase of 65 years, in which Clara is widow and last inhabitant of the building (Aquarius), on the edge of the beach of Boa Viagem , In Recife-PE.

Between the initials invested through games and pressures of the construction company, with the suggestive name of Bonfim, and that at all costs tries to expel Clara of the building, to give space to a new and modern enterprise, finally, between the plot drawn by the pressures of the real estate , We have the reflexes and consequences of this, in the life of Clara, her family and friends and also moments that help us to know and understand more the protagonist of this story divided into three chapters: "Clara's hair"; "The love of Clara"; And "Cancer of Clara".

With so much "Clara" in the chapters and as propellant of the story there is no doubt who is the protagonist of the film. This protagonism ends up generating some slips and problems of script, the question that surrounds the real estate speculation and the Aquarius building itself, for example, lose strength and dynamism in front of Clara, I do not recall a moment in which the architectural importance or the Problems that a bigger building can cause the city, as well as historical preservation, everything seems to turn more between the whim of Clara, in wanting to continue living there, or of what is right to her, because, just as the residents have and has the Right to dispose of their apartments, Clara have full right to want to continue living in that apartment, which has been for more than thirty years.

This divergence of opinion generates an interesting resource for the film, even with its share of optics and favoritism to the character Clara's position. The interests of real estate and a former resident are explained in one scene, in which a man claims and makes a "veiled" threat for Clara to sell the apartment, so that the other residents can receive the rest of the money for the sale of the apartment. immobile. Both sides present themselves and in the end we have a panorama of rights that deserve to be respected, and for that very reason, they do not envisage a solution, soon all are right and, at the same time, wrong. This is not taken measures to solve the obstacle, what we have are questionable actions, because, the viewpoint meets personal interests and defenses that are valid for both sides, something that Kleber Mendonça had worked very well in "The sound around".

However, as mentioned, Clara's motivation to stay in the building and to receive greater attention, ends up generating a defense and consequently a perspective of a single vision, reinforced by the direction. Something that I consider to be a debilitating element to the film, as admirable as Clara's life story and overcoming, and however fascinating and charismatic the character may be, it is a massacre to see a person standing almost on a pedestal. The very dramatic curves that reveal Clara's weaknesses and faults are revealed only in the dialogues in which the protagonist exalts her achievements. Clara, for example, can easily move to any other apartment, she even has five, so the reason for not selling her apartment is for financial reasons, the value offered by the real estate is even interesting and the owner does not go through financial difficulties, Money is enough to keep her there, it's more of a political and ideological stance to say no, to use her right to die in that apartment - whatever she wants - and to preserve her personal stories, her memories, her Moments lived in that home. However, the form adopted by Clara makes her discourse unfeasible, a form that privileges self-centeredness, which is something that the protagonist fights and repudiates in other characters, just as she does with her daughter Ana Paula (Maeve Jinkings).

This feature of preserving memories and stories is something remarkable in the protagonist, with a pun that aims at the personality of this character: Clara is really clear. She is very direct in what she thinks, in what she wants, in her way of acting, there are no dodges in her conversation and this is expressed in several dialogues that clash with the clear and objective posture of speaking what one wants. On the other hand, to this frank characteristic of Clara, we have a whole world of objects, places, photos, memories that have a more symbolic and plural character, and this is not negative, on the contrary, is excellent. The most significant in "Aquarius" is its explicit range of understandings and possibilities. It is a film where the public is invited to be also author, thus, can stick and build the story that suits you, freedom little seen in Brazilian cinema. The very "furniture" presented at the beginning of the film, which belonged to Aunt Lucia, and that has remained in that apartment over the years, giving a value of memory and history of that family, is deconstructed by the own aunt, where the "mobile" nothing Is more than the memory of a beautiful fucking that this aunt had years ago, and years later, this same piece of furniture will witness Clara's sex with a program boy, in short, nothing of what is often attributed with great appreciation, almost Revered as a piece of furniture, an object we hold proudly in our house and that remain throughout the generations, this virtuosity given to objects is ephemeral, but the memories, the memories they rescue, this is unique and special, but so Is the measure of who has it or wants it, that is, it is an individual construction that varies according to the people and the relationships built.

So we have the same effect of Tia Lúcia's "mobile", in the albums, in the photos and in Clara's building. Where such objects kill your story, your memories and make of Clara alive, be what you are. And this does not necessarily mean that Clara is a nostalgic or melancholy person, she knows how to take advantage of both worlds, past and present with their technological advances. This is made explicit in an interview in which Clara states that she listens to MP3 music, watches TV, all these modernities she knows how to use and uses, but keeps old things in an analogy like a message stuck in a bottle that is thrown into the sea , An analogy that the reporter does not seem to have understood, and that a good part of the public, perhaps and also, has not understood, which does not cause any harm, not understanding often is even a blessing.

Particularly I do not believe that the director's approach to using the "zoom" has contributed to the film's narrative, it is a feature that seems to be primary when used in the cinema and breaks with a naturalistic or realistic view, something that I do not understand that is of interest The director or the film narrative. With rare exceptions, the "zoom" was and is well used in any film, in "Aquarius" I only remember a good time for this use, in the scene where Clara is lying in a net and an overlay of images, the character Diego Appears in the background of Clara, taking photos of the building, in the same plane we followed for a light zoom, something manipulated in a game of reverse mirror, where Diego with his cell phone takes some photos and invades Clara's privacy.

As for the editing and editing work promoted by Eduardo Serrano, which fragments and joins times through the "Jump Cut", a dry cut made in an image sequence of the same plane where it advances in time, a dynamic cut, cutting the " Breathing "and pauses, which serves to transmit urgency or create the sensation of advancement in time, this style of assembly undoubtedly collaborates for the narrative construction of the film as this urgency and advancement of time, do not effectively result in anything, only advances by Emergency to start or change state, but that by the speed does not materialize, it only takes place as an obligation to close a cycle, and then to restart it.

Highlight for the soundtrack and for the work of diegetics performed by the editing and sound mixing of Ricardo Cutz, who makes an impeccable use of the sound that participates in the narrative of the film and that is part of the universe of the characters. All Aquarius songs using the (diegetic) effect that relates directly to what the characters are listening to is the same as the audience, work perfectly and are not free, and has a track that basically splits into Be descriptive of Clara's personality, or evocative of a state, quite the style: now I'm feeling in the pit and I'll hear a pit music. However, in all cases and even with the diversity of the trail that goes from Roberto Carlos to Queen, through Reginaldo Rossi to Villa Lobos, everything is very coherent and credible of the personality and the likes of Clara. Creating a soundtrack of life, the only negative point, is the direct sound capture performed by Nicolas Hallet, in some moments are inaudible the speeches of the characters, for example, in the dance scene where Clara dancing with a man of origin "Capixaba ", In which she already attentive to the fact that the character speaks" softly ", and added to the sound of the party it becomes impossible to understand what this man speaks, it is doubtful if it was a proposal of the film, to be another one of the empty scenes (Not in the pejorative sense), but of intimate and personal scenes that build and modify Clara, or if it was a failure of capture, since it seems that a microphone had occurred only the main character.

Among the performances, only the embezzlement felt by the incoherence of an accent, which causes a certain strangeness in acting and convincing in the work of Thaia Perez (Aunt Lucia), her aunt, seems to have fallen there, in that house, out of nowhere. The work, in general, is satisfactory and well punctuated, although to those who know the work of Irandhir Santos (like Roberval), it is an apparent debt before the greatness of other cinematographic realizations. Sonia Braga (as Clara) and Humberto Carrão (as Diego), who know how to balance the game of personal interests and defenses, in the beginning the friendly and conciliatory air of Carrão are well dosed, and are not lost when he reveals His most aggressive tone as a young man with an MBA, and counterbalanced with these two poles, we have a Clara who introduces herself as a turrona lady and a woman who just wants to live in a place that is her right.

Disregarding any and all controversy caused by the film's launch at the Cannes festival in 2016, and by the conscious stance of the artists who sought in that space, alerting to Brazil's situation after the process of a questionable impeachment of President Dilma, "Aquarius" is a film Well within the framework of Brazilian politics itself, where common interests rival the interests of large corporations and those in power, the system in force in Recife, which is criticized but at the same time reproduced by Clara of interests And personal support, are granted in the measure of the proximity of family or affective relations, is as common in our politics as in our lives, how good it is to have that person who, because he is close to us, de-bureaucrates a service. Among so many reflections and possibilities that "Aquarius" allows, is mainly that of a committed cinema to talk much more with his country, than with commercial interests, although box office does not do any harm.