Boleiros: Era Uma Vez o Futebol...

Several short stories go beyond the usual clichés. Nothing about memorable matches or players, unforgettable victories or miserable defeats in postcard tropical scenery - that would be easy and boring. This movie choose a different path, it is focused on secondary characters that you hardly think of but are part of the game we love, such as the referee that must assure a result, a young journalist trying to set a interview with his aged idol, a manager trying to negotiate his promising striker with a foreign team, etc. All these little stories carefully crafted, sometimes funny sometimes sad (both, most of time) in a low key approach that capture how football is deeply rooted in our lives.

For foreign viewers: probably you won't be able to grasp the subtleties of this loving display of football in Sao Paulo during the 70's and 80's. But even though this movie is way better than 99% of all sport movies you'll ever see. And watching it can magically make you feel a little more Brazilian.

PS: sorry US readers, I use "football", not "soccer"