Review of City of God (2002) by Stuart K — 30 Apr 2014
Directed by Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardner (2005)), produced by Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) and On The Road (2012)), and based upon the 1997 book of the same name by Paulo Lins, this depicts real life events and situations that occured in and around Rio de Janeiro in and around the 1970's.
It's a very gritty film, but it depicts a stark way of life that isn't shown much in films. Set mostly in the Cidade de Deus suburb of Rio de Janeiro, 3 small time crooks Shaggy (Jonathan Haagensen), Clipper (Jefechander Suplino) and Goose (Renato de Souza) are in a gang known as the Tender Trio.
They do small crimes, but it snowballs into murder one day, witnessed by Goose's younger brother Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), who later on in the 1970's, finds himself being drawn into the world of organised crime, when in life he just wants to become a photographer.
The drugs in the area are being sold by Li'l Zé (Leandro Firmino da Hora), but he soon finds competition from Benny (Phellipe Haagensen) and Knockout Ned (Seu Jorge). It's not a film for everyone, but Meirelles keeps the energy and rhythm up, and it's a tale of survival in a dangerous part of the world, which has since been contained and cleaned up since the 1970's.
The film was successful enough to earn a spin off TV series City of Men, and another film with some of the cast returning.
This review of City of God (2002) was written by Stuart K on 30 Apr 2014.
City of God has generally received very positive reviews.
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