Review of Princesa (2001) by Frankc. — 02 Jan 2003

[***POTENTIAL SPOILERS INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW***] Ingrid de Souza is romantic & real, and I appreciated the sweet sounding AUWE singing the classic "Estate" during the closing credits. A final comment on what the writers of the film's description seem to keep missing: Ingrid's love interest Gianni left his wife because she wouldn't give him children.

Fernanda walked away from Gianni because she realized that ultimately the same thing would eventually happen to her. And the double-whammy pain immediately set in for her with the realization that this pattern would duplicate itself no matter which man she might take up with in the future.

This double-realization is what made Fernanda became suicidal. But she opts to commit suicide slowly instead of quickly (Though she's perfectly healthy for now, she will now move to duplicate her dying Brazilian friend Chato by returning to the street until AIDS catches up to her too.

). The overall tragedy for her character is that either way she's embracing a future without a future. Her apparent glee at the end of the movie is thinly veiled resignation to an irrecoverable loss.

"Princesa" is a sweetly melancholy film that requires empathy to appreciate. I recommend it to conservative & liberal alike. You'll like it, I promise.