Extremely somber and violent, but overall incredibly riveting

Rating: 9/10 (31 May 2016)

Not many crime films come as dark, gritty, or even violent as this one. And unlike most crime stories set in America, this film paints a brutally honest picture of the harrowing lifestyle that dictates the third-world country of Brazil. With the visceral direction by Fernando Merielles and Katia Lund, viewers are dragged into a grueling but significantly honest experience of the difficulties in growing up in a world where violence and crime is practically a way of life than an obstacle in society. Set in the 1960s and 1970s, the film takes place in Rio De Janeiro which most people refer to as City of God, a poverty-ridden city in Brazil where employment is very low, the crime rate is devastatingly high and just about everyone from young elementary-school age children to adults carry a gun. Those are not employed resort to robbery and murder for financial support. Enter Rocket (played by Alexandre Rodrigues), a young boy growing up in the violent slums of Rio De Janeiro with the dreams of becoming of a photographer but finds his future obscured by the everyday crime including the robbery and homicide by his brother Goose (played by Renato De Souza) and his gang. Competing with his gang is Lil Ze (played by Leandro Firmino), a young boy with a thirst of violence who grows up to work his up the crime ladder to become the leader of the most dangerous gang in Rio De Janeiro. As these two gangs cross paths, the result is a war that spirals gravely out of control.
This film is in no means fun to watch, it is extremely violent, brutally somber, and at times incredibly difficult to sit through. But the most earnest quality here is: it's authentic. While most crime films deal with characters getting involved outside the law to achieve something of their desires, this film tackles crime as a natural societal lifestyle simply because it takes place in a town in Brazil where violent crime is a composition of their society. And it doesn't try to glorify violence but to show the inhuman consequences that result in such heinous activity. Whenever a character, major and minor, is killed you can't help but feel deeply for the character, and the emotional resonance delivered in these scenes never feel forced. As the story moves, you watch as the main character develop from a boy struggling from moral ambiguity and the overwhelming influence of his fellow friends who rely on firearms to squeeze their way out of unwanted situations, to a young man who begins to realize the damage it causes him and roots for a better future. The outcome is one powerful character granted by an ingenious performance by Alexandre Rodrigues. The most compelling feature of this character however, comes from his conflict with Lil Ze and his gang. Leandro Firmino gives a intriguing performance as Lil Ze, a sociopathic young man wrapped in his own bloodlust since childhood and with no desire other than to be the most feared man in town. If you are not disturbed by flashbacks of him as a little boy shooting a man and woman while laughing like a child watching a clown at birthday party or a youngster forced to shoot a little kid in the foot, I don't know what will. The conflict that embroils between him and the main character Rocket provides a visceral tension that moves the story very well while paying plenty of emotional investment.
City of God is a deeply riveting drama that leaves a powerful impact very few can deny. This is a film punctuated with astounding performances, solid writing, and an ultimately uncompromising direction. It is disappointing that this film was overlooked for an Oscar for Best Picture nomination, though it is likely due to the grim material. The film is worth watching but perhaps not one you'll want again after first viewing due to the dark atmosphere and overall brutality.