This free adaptation of Fernando Bonassi's debut novel is a tense and involving experience that despite its limitations and lack of originality
manages to captivate viewers and leave them at the edge of the seat without using special effects or overdoing anything. For a film made for first-time
director Tata Amaral and debut leading actors Leona Cavali and Paulo Vespúcio this one is quite special and very daring.
The story takes place in a simple house located in a simple neighborhood in São Paulo where a young hairdresser (Leona) gets the unexpected visit
of her ex-boyfriend (Paulo), who just wanted to return some of her belongings. One of those typical things where one part thinks it's just a quick hello
and goodbye and then life goes on - and she's desperatly want him to go since they don't have anything else to say to each other, she moved on and she's
about to make a trip to the U. S. to further develop her career, a unique opportunity. The man, apparently, doesn't much going forward yet he wants to
convince her that they should get back together. But after the woman's mother appearance and a discussion takes place, the scenery moves to a dangerous
situation where they become hostages at gun point and a recipe for disaster is formed.
In this day and age it's a little hard to convince audiences in watching something cliched as "A Starry Sky" because it doesn't seem to offer much
in terms of story, and most audiences will be questioning what's the point of it all or the ultimate gain one could have besides the "entertainment". Well,
I see it as a somewhat version of reality, the typical story one follows when watching sensational police/crime news on TV where everytime you hear something
like this happening. The film offers a view inside of the hostage situation and never leaves that, it's always on the inside even when the cops and media
show up. It's a poignant reflection on society, failed relationships and how some people go to a breaking point mode thinking they might get a good result
if there's a gun involved.
The rhythm reproduced by Amaral is a very frantic one, with the camera moving back and forth close to the actors in the most tense sequences, and also
the most unusual ones such as when the couple have sex in the middle of the situation (a long, almost explicit, sequence. A well coordinated and choreographed
moment with the actors in the tiny corridor). The dialogues aren't so important but they're greatly expressed by the duo. As told earlier, it's a free
adaptation of a novel and it's quite close to the original material - the main difference is that the story there reflected a lot of the man's inner thoughts
and streams of conciousness where he remembers things from his past.
Good and gripping, but it's easy to understand why it might fail to appeal to certain audiences, specially those who might have seen this scenario
presented in another movie. I recommend it simply on some pecularities contained in it, and the thrill of it all. 8/10.
