Brilliant

Rating: 10/10 (22 December 2015)

Brilliant.
Set in a notorious slum of Rio - Cidade de Deus / City of God - the story of a boy who sees his friends and brother grow up or aspire to be gangsters, and decides to do something else. Meanwhile we also see the power struggles in the neighbourhood, how they developed, who the main protagonists are and the state of their feud.
A superb story, well told. While the story ultimately spans a few decades, there is no excess detail, and the movie never drifts or is boring. Incredibly gritty.
Solid performances too.
A classic.