Benzinho it is a very naturalistic or realistic film, with very well built characters living their multilayered lives with dialogues which often seem pertaining to a documentary. Despite from Rio de Janeiro, Gustavo Pizzi's movie reminds a lot Contagem wave of cinema, that is the stile of the movies from Affonso Uchôa or from Filmes de Plástico producer. Several stories and issues compose the lives of that family in that period of time. Indeed, it represents deeply a low middle class family facing economic changes during 2010's in Brazil. The dream of succeeding in a professional sport contrasts with humble social ascension of a former maid who concludes high school and believes it is an event where everybody should attend (the scene with her inviting the former employer of her mother when she grew up was particularly striking). The bookstore business is fading with online sellers and small buniseesmen face serious economic difficulties to move on. The house that is being gradually distroyed until not having even a door to enter is the absurd concrete metaphor of the difficulties the family faces. The sister faces mysoginist violence, which also impacts her son. The mother cannot hide that she is deeply unhappy with the expectation of her elder son living in Germany. Other characters also have their issues and traits, as all are well built characters, as I said, such as the gluton boy who plays an instrument, and the violent man with drug problems. All performances are very good too, and Karine Teles, who also wrote the script together with the director, certainly one of the best Brazilian actresses ever, provides de core character all the natural deepness is needed for the film, as is always expected from her. Benzinho is the most acclaimed among several partnerships between Pizzi and Teles, who have been married for 12 years, and the two youngest children in the film are actually their sons (what helps in taking the best of theim despite so young). Like in Pizzi's former feature film with Teles, the beginning of Benzinho is a little tepid, but the film becomes better as it advances; it seems that Pizzi's encompassing portrayal of common lives in their micro-moments takes some time to appear as meaningful for spectators and lead to a proper organic story.
