A great character driven gritty story

Rating: 9/10 (31 December 2012)

The story of several boys growing up in Rio De Janeiro, the different paths their lives take but how they also keep intertwining. The subtitles didn't take anything away from this film and it is beautifully acted. The character driven storyline makes you really root for the boys and evoked real feelings of sadness and empathy when I watched it. It is similar to stories such as The Kite Runner, where you see the characters grow and evolve into young men. There are quite a few violent scenes but all are necessary to give a proper insight into the characters' lives and are not gratuitously drawn out. The film is set in the 60's and 70's which provides a few hilarious moments with clothing and scenery.