The City of God is a very good film about a God-forsaken place!

Rating: Null/10 (14 June 2004)

This film recounts the story of a young Brazilian boy named Rocket who grows up in and around the 'City of God'. We follow his life, from a very young age though adulthood, as he narrates all the crazy adventures of his life and describes all the various characters he encounters along the way. His life is a tough one, filled with horrific violence, incessant theft and rampant drug abuse, which seems commonplace in his world. More than anything, this is a story of survival in a vicious community that chews people up and only spits them out if they are lucky. This existence is a vicious circle that seem to inevitably lead to short life or a life spent in jail or absolute poverty. The only way out seems to be to risk your life in the drug trade where things become assuredly more dangerous. Avoiding trouble completely is a very tricky accomplishment and we watch as Rocket does his best to make it in this God-forsaken world. But will he make it without giving in to the temptations of a criminal life? After all, honesty doesn't pay in the 'City of God'. The film is marvelously directed and edited. There is a kinetic feel that rivals Scorsese's work in 'Goodfellas'. That the material is also similar is not surprising. This film was clearly inspired by the 1990 gangster epic. 'City of God' definitely deserved its Oscar nominations. I am clearly recommending the film despite the brutality and the overwhelming sense of despair that the film conveys. I usually don't like films that refuse to feature even a glimmer of hope, but this film avoids that pitfall in the final twenty minutes. I won't reveal what happens, but the film offers a sliver of hope without selling out the reality and tone of the earlier scenes. Based on true events, 'City of God' is a visceral and shocking peek into a living hell that, by all accounts, still exists to this day. Poverty will always make crime a viable option... a natural human instinct. This film highlights that fact with brilliant direction and Oscar worthy editing. I am not sure anyone would want to watch this film multiple times, it's just not that kind of movie. But I strongly suggest you seek it out on DVD if you missed the limited theatrical run.