3. City Of God
Year of Release: 2002Director: Fernando Meirelles Another foreign movie; the cultural impact of
City Of God can never be understated. What it has achieved, what it still manages to achieve, is a wonderful victory. Set in the poverty-ridden favelas of Brazil, the movie depicts the life of Rocket, a young boy living in a gang-led zone. The narrative twists and turns; conforming to linearity is a thing of the past here, but the way Meirelles manages to tell his story, on a more personal level, is to be commended. Film comparisons are thrown about liberally nowadays and this film has been labelled the Brazilian answer to
Goodfellas. On one level, I can see this clearly; on the other, not so much.
Goodfellas was about organised crime conducted by an organised establishment. There were lessons to be learned, sure, but the journey that Henry went through in
Goodfellas was on the far end of the spectrum to the journey that Rocket goes through in
City of God. Maybe its the Brazilian
Stand By Me, if
Stand By Me were to mate with
Goodfellas. Who knows. It's hard to tell whether the characters, the gangs, the kids (they're all the same people) are just angry at the life they lead or just so bored and tired of it all that they feel the need to take control of their own destinies. You get the feeling that the life expectantly in this world is not extensive and that the whole 'coming-of-age' thing is ultimately a frivolous tag considering many of them won't live that long. Indeed, there's a scene where one kid is forced to gun another down in one of the most shocking yet compelling scenes I've seen in any movie. It's almost like a documentary; the main character is often shown with a camera as well. The outlook on gang warfare is perhaps the most prevalent theme in the movie opposed to growing up in the slums but it's hard to see past that lost innocence at such a young age. It's a horrifying movie yet beautiful in the same way; for many, the differences in culture will be fascinating and is a movie everyone should see at least once in their lifetime. It's unlikely you'll be going back for more though. ...although there is a sequel.