City of God: Ambition in a Hopeless Place
Title: City of God
Year: 2002
Director: Fernando Meirelles & Kátia Lund
Writers: Paulo Lins & Bráulio Mantovani
Cast:
Alexandre Rodrigues as Rocket
Alice Braga as Angelica
Douglas Silva / Leandro Firmino as Lil Dice
Phellipe Haagensen as Benny
Darlan Cunha as Steak and Fries
Seu Jorge as Knockout Ned
Synopsis:
In the slums of Rio, two kids' paths diverge as one struggles to become a photographer and the other a kingpin. - IMDB
Intro + Pre-show Expectations
I knew almost nothing about this film. It was nominated for several Oscars in 2004, it is from Brazil and it usually comes high on lists of recommended films. I have made no effort to further educate myself about the film so I can experience this film in the most unbiased way possible. I don’t know what to expect, but I’m excited.
SPOILERS BELOW. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
Violent, Heartbreaking, and Hopeless
City of God is easily one of the most complete films I have ever seen and arguably ever made. Everything in this film works together with such cohesion that it feels as though you are looking into the violent lives of real people rather than just a film. From the unimaginable poverty to the unavoidable violence, City of God is a stylishly brutal film that puts into perspective just how fortunate many of us are. It is a tragic tale of what can happen when individuals are left in extreme poverty with access to weapons and no means of class elevation. Director Fernando Meirelles does an excellent job of bringing the Favelas to life, rather than having us observe the brutality they make us feel just how violent and wicked these neighborhoods can be.
Performances
There are so many parts of this film that are so well done that the performances may not get the credit they deserve but each actor was very good in their role. The fact that so many of the major characters in this film are either children or adolescents and still manage to bring such realism and personality to their characters is no small feat. Even more so since no character outside of Carrot (played by Matheus Nachtergaele) had any previous cinematic acting experience. Of course, this was an intentional decision made by the director as he opted instead to use individuals who lived in these neighborhoods as a way to commit to the realism the film was attempting to portray. That being said, the film did not ask a lot of many of the characters. There was not much need for an intensely emotional performance that brought the audience to tears. Not saying the performances aren’t deep but the commitment to realism helped reduce the need for experienced actors who could carry the performances. Most characters outside the main cast were pretty one-dimensional, and even many in the main cast did not show a wide range of emotions as it was not necessary.
My Final Take
Rocket may be the narrator and protagonist and Li’l Ze may be a violent bloodthirsty gang lord but the real antagonist is the city itself. Constantly throughout the film, we witness the cyclical nature of things in this environment, which is first introduced at the beginning of the film with the story of Goose and the ‘Tender Trio’. After their heist goes wrong and the group attempts to flee the city, the film immediately shows what happens to individuals who attempt to escape the City of God after they have become a part of it. This short story early in the film sets a tone for the rest of the film while also introducing us to our primary characters and laying the groundwork for the sorts of character development we should expect as the story progresses. This is just one example of the brilliance in the writing of the film.
In my opinion, the film's most impressive part was its ability to tell two very different thematic stories through the lifestyles of its two most prominent characters, Rocket and Lil Dice a.k.a Lil Ze. (I will refer to him as Lil Dice just because I think that name is hard). Lil Dice is meant to represent ambition in the only path the city of God creates for its citizens, one of crime, violence, and murder. His ruthless nature allows him to climb the criminal ladder in these dangerous neighborhoods. However, Rocket is rather the other side of the same coin. Rocket embodies the dreams and ambitions of the individuals who are born into this lifestyle. Despite his lack of access to technology and the violence that surrounds him, Rocket stays devoted to his dream of being a photographer while attempting to enjoy the simple things in life with those close to him. He does not get involved in crime despite his lack of wealth and lack of job opportunities, especially in comparison to his peers who have taken on a life of crime. Furthermore, Rocket's attempts at class elevation through honest means give us insight into the social issues that affect the individuals in Favela such as racism and discrimination. But overall it is Rocket's ability to look past his life in the Favela that keeps him safe from following in the footsteps of his brother, friends, and community. This is what makes Benny both so interesting and tragic. Benny began down this violent path that the Favellas created alongside his best friend Lil Dice but was never the ruthless monster that we see in his friends but rather a kind person who maintained the peace between drug dealers and murders. He later attempted to change his ways when he found meaning in something greater than himself but once again the City of God became the great equalizer.
However, in regards to Rocket and his elevation out of the slums into the “normal world,” it is interesting that this was only made possible through his ability to communicate the firsthand violence that he was surrounded by to an unsuspecting and largely ignorant public. The film does an interesting job of showing how the newspaper industry and journalists were not members of the favelas but were rather trying to tell their stories to an outgroup as a means of making a profit. It was only through this scheme that Rocket became a valuable member of the team as he possessed something that could provide monetary value in a way no one else could. This transitions into perhaps one of the most interesting themes in the film, that money is the only valuable resource that is valued on both sides of society as It highlights some faults with news media. .
There are so many parts of this film that are so well done I could go on forever about every single intimate detail and how they work in unison to create this cinematic masterpiece but people probably don’t want to hear me yap forever. That being said I cannot recommend this film enough as it does a fantastic job of checking the privilege of the audience as well as telling a realistic portrayal of the hopelessness of a life surrounded by crime. The film is quite heavy and emotionally taxing, therefore, I recommend watching it either alone or in small groups, really any way you can pay full attention to what is happening on screen.
Score
Writing: 10/10
Style: 9/10
Performance: 7.5/10
Direction: 9/10
Cinematography: 10/10
