It just does everything right

Rating: 10/10 (7 May 2019)

City of God is almost a blend of content and medium - it is a literal snapshot of the story of a young wannabe photographer in the dangerous slums of Rio de Janeiro. It is a visually-striking roller coaster ride of a non-linear narrative that blends the best points of Pulp Fiction with the grit and visual style of Fight Club, the wonderful characterisation of Goodfellas and the overarching appeal of being based on a true story.
The circular nature of the narrative, whilst also being told in a non-linear fashion by its narrator, is quite satisfying and feels very neat and well-paced. Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund have managed to balance the unique plot structure in such an intricate way that every scene still makes sense, we still understand the intricacies of the relationships and scenarios, and we are still hanging on the narrator's every word until the satisfying conclusion.
The characterisation is this film's true masterpiece. There are deep complexities in every character that provide a layered picture of life in a favela surrounded by gang warfare. The good characters are deeply flawed, the bad characters have redeeming qualities, and quite often it's difficult to know exactly why we like or dislike a character. This is a film that endeavoured to portray just how complicated real life is, and created a bunch of wonderful, complex and fascinating characters in doing so.
Visually, there are lots of shots and moments of editing and cinematography that will quite simply make any film maestro nod their head in pure satisfaction. It's a neat blend of the world and the medium, with running themes of cameras flashing and guns firing. This is a rapid-fire film that comes at you with no hesitation, and it is satisfying and entertaining every step of the way.
If you're just becoming a bit of a film lover, City of God is a great induction to what it's all about. Quite simply, this is a film that seems to do everything exactly right, and it's a satisfying, emotional thing to watch unfold.