A harrowing, gripping and moving account of life in Rio de Janeiro

Rating: Null/10 (24 March 2007)

"City of God" is an incredible achievement. Set in Rio de Janeiro's City of God, the film follows events in the lives of a number of gangsters from the '60s to the '80s.
Beautifully shot and edited, the film is truly gripping and moving and is definitely one of the best movies I've seen. Life is cheap on the streets of Fernando Meirelles' City of God. We see a child, Li'l Zé, grow into a dangerous and unstable gangster and the impact of his actions on the lives of the people around him. The film is narrated by Buscapé, a budding photographer, who grows up in the same neighbourhood as the gangsters and who is always in danger of being sucked into their deadly world.
I love the fast-moving pace and style of this film. It presents the action through a series of chapters, always keeping the viewer's attention hooked to events as they unfold on the screen.
You can't help caring about some of the characters in the film despite their actions and it's a real emotional roller-coaster. The cast are excellent and very believable. The performances from the young cast are jaw-droppingly realistic.
Unpredictable and shocking, "City of God" is an unmissable film.
Brilliant. 10 out of 10.