Powerful presentation of a sad, seemingly hopeless social cycle, yet imbibed with verve, samba a-swinging do Brasil

Rating: 8/10 (2 February 2003)

Yes, CITY OF GOD is an exuberantly sad story, with subtle faith, hope and love throughout. A bold stroke of genius to tell such a tale in this lively fashion - swift and steady, sad and comic, bullets flying, joyful dancing, pausing suspense - all the colors do Brasil.
How can a tale of slum child gangsters, killings and revenge be exuberant? But "City of God," like Marcel Camus "Black Orpheus" 1958 and its modern version Carlos Diegues "Orfeus" 2000 - even in tragedy there's life a-living. The samba music, subtly triste, gives a sense of hope aftermath. Hope lurks as evil does: bands of 7 or 8-year olds, walking away jiving gangster talk and waving guns 'guilelessly.'
Director Fernando Meirelles, co-director Kátia Lund, and their dedicated cast and crew gave us an unforgettable fête of a film. It was as if under the guiding voice-over narration of Rocket (Buscapé) that we're dancing, swaying, samba a-moving through it all - all from the present day, swiftly swirling back to the sixties, then 'beachcomber' seventies, and disco eighties, full circle back to 'the beginning of the ending.' I marveled at the structure the filmmakers have adopted. There are shades of Dickens' stories: atrocious characters and the central 'hero' struggles, like a Shakespearean dark tale with verbal descriptive wit (thanks to subtitles by Jennifer Kafu.) It's a fête, alright!
There's comprehensive and energetic accounts of the making of "City of God" at the official site. Director Meirelles' notes, biography, and interviews on how the film project came about, the casting challenge with co-director Lund, who described in detail the circumstances involved and the casting process. Seven main cast members (portrayals of Rocket, Zé, Bene, Knockout Ned, Tiago, young Li'l Dice, and Carrot*) talked about how they see their character, personal experience on the project, and "We from the Movies." The methodic approach to the 'madness' of spending one year selecting 200 of non-professionals out of 2000, coaching them to prepare for the film, encouraging spontaneity, sounds like a structured experimentation. Camera crew literally followed the cast and action rather than traditional memorizing of dialogs and adhering to logistics. The production result, as we can see, is amazing! * Carrot was Matheus Nachtergaele, a more known actor who was asked to 'disappear into the film and mix in' with the rest of the non-professional cast. An interesting story within a story. Check out the official site for more CITY OF GOD appreciation.
Perhaps CITY OF GOD would be given recognition and exposure during Oscar time. As the director repeated: the characters are not the focus, it's the place Cidade de Deus - 'favelas and tenement housing projects' - its social status and products not singular to Brazil (reminds me of Mortimer Adler's 1991 book title "Haves Without Have-Nots" - the diametrical extremes of the rich and the poor is universal).
Hope lurks: a delight as the story turns to our 'hero' - change of flavor in storytelling ('how I became a photographer.') - seeing him rocketing through the decades, the streets, and back to the beginning of the end. Isn't that the 'darndest' chicken chase? The swift sound of knife utensil a-clashing.didn't it grab your attention from the very beginning, sight & sound, with swinging beats? Do stay through the credits roll at the end - you'd get to see the real Knockout Ned saying the very same lines as were on screen. The truth hits - based on real events in Paulo Lin's novel, CITY OF GOD is overwhelmingly powerful.