Review: City of Men (2007)

CITY OF MEN
A film review by David N. Butterworth
Copyright 2008 David N. Butterworth

*** (out of ****)


In 2002, Brazilian filmmakers Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund
made "City of God" ("Cidade de Deus"), a kinetic portrait of life in the
favelas (slums) of Rio de Janeiro centered around a bunch of gangster
wannabes with names like Knockout Ned, Carrot, and Li'l ZÃ(c). The film,
which featured a largely amateur cast of kids from the barrios coupled
with a bravura filmmaking style, positively burned with an infectious,
high-octane energy.

So successful was that picture both on its home turf and
internationally (it was nominated for four Academy Awards) that it
spawned a television series, "City of Men" ("Cidade dos Homens"), four
seasons of which ran from 2002 through 2005 on the Brazilian TV Globo
network (it circulated on DVD in the U.S. in 2006).

Now there's "City of Men," the movie (which also goes by the title
"Cidade dos Homens" lest you now be totally confused), a feature length
spin-off of the TV show that takes select characters and situations from
the series and blends them into a seamless--and standalone--110-minute
whole. It's more an in-name-only companion piece to the first film
rather than a sequel (or prequel) and while Douglas Silva and Darlan
Cunha appear in both films, they play different and unrelated characters
in each.

The point is, if you enjoyed "City of God" you'll find plenty to
enjoy in "City of Men." The new film is certainly less flashy than its
predecessor, focusing more on its characters than its
camerawork/cinematography, but there are many similarities, simply from
the two films' locations, subject matter (bronzed bodies, youth bearing
arms, inevitable shootouts), and a washed-out, hand-held digital style
that pulses along to a Latin beat.

Ace (Silva) and Wallace (Cunha) are best friends on the verge of
manhood; each is about to turn 18. Ace is married with a young child
and Wallace lives with his mother and never knew his father, although he
could sure use Dad's signature in order to procure his ID card. Thus
begins a search for Heraldo (Rodrigo dos Santos) that, rather quickly in
fact, turns up a soccer-playing waiter of an ex-con who has jumped his
parole and is now lying low in a run-down high rise. Heraldo is not
thrilled to make Wallace's acquaintance at first but over time the two
develop some mutual respect.

Ace, on the other hand, has the responsibility of a young son to
contend with, exacerbated by the fact that his wife is leaving for Sao
Paolo to start work as a nanny.

Offsetting these familial dramas is a raging gang war in which
rival groups of street toughs take--and take back--the surrounding
hillsides. It's only a matter of time before Ace and Wallace get pulled
into the crossfire, suddenly finding themselves on opposite sides of the
mayhem.

The film is directed by Paulo Morelli, a longtime collaborator of
producer Mereilles, and offers a tasty balance between gangland warfare
and intimate character study. It also helps that Silva and Cunha are a
pair of immensely likable young actors.


--
David N. Butterworth
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