Balas & Bolinhos

I'm highly biased and giving random stars from 0 to 10 is way too subjective. But I loved this film despite not being able to understand much of what they say - even if my mother language is Portuguese (from Brazil).

The scenes and photography are well chosen, despite the limited crew. They had nobody dedicated for this (or any off screen job, on the credits) and, yet, did a superb job as a side job there.

The camera movement and rhythm is just in time. It does get slow sometimes, but it is apparently all on purpose because the slowness is spread in moments across all the movie.

I heard their budget was around €1500. Now, that's even more amazing. It means every actor there were doing it for free. Sure, all amateurs, but enjoyable and entertaining never the less. Have you tried gathering people for filming? Just try it.

I never thought it was possible to achieve a long film with such a low budget in such a country with no culture for it. Amazing. And really well accomplished feat.

I sure enjoyed watching it, and I may even watch again eventually. Yes, I think it has enough value for re-watching.

True, the film doesn't stand too good by itself, as a story telling. But, again, it's still quite enjoyable. I also love how the dialogs don't really matter, as the images speak for themselves. That's how movies should be done, in my humble opinion. Not soundless, but the video must always speak for itself.

Godawful movie, even for amateurs.

Story about a group of inept criminals trying to do the job of their lives. Swearing is expected, no problems there, but would it hurt to write a good story before trying to film it?

The problems have nothing to do with the very small budget - it's just that the story and the acting are absolutely childish. If you enjoy badly acted predictable humor based on a stereotype of human misery, go for it.

Don't waste your time if you are searching for an alternative intelligent funny movie.

This movie is a true expression of amateur filmography that we can see in every aspect of the picture.

From the actors that are all amateurs, to the technical staff which are well intentioned persons that curiously ended up making a movie.

The script is basic, and exploits the Portuguese stereotypes of the small time burglars, in a gang of four, with narrow minded plans taken to the extreme.

The story of a disbanded gang of four intriguing characters, that when their leader gets out of jail after a 5 year stretch, comes up with a brilliant plan, that will take them all to retire in Brasil, by robbing a gas station.

This fab four gang is made of a drug dealer – Rato, an unemployed guy that liked to steal from his boss – Culatra, a drunk and dope-head – Bino, and the leader of the pack, the man with all the solutions – Tone.

This is a relatively bad movie with poor quality but is worth seeing because it represents the willpower of a group of guys that really wanted to make a movie, with very little means.

It is another great example of "where there's a will there's a way".

Good on you guys. We need people like them in the Portuguese movies.

Tone has been in jail for 5 years and gets out in 2001 I'll assume, but he gets out in a Pokémon t shirt Pokémon started in 1996 same year tone was arrested being Portugal the trends didn't get here quick, I know this cause I has born in 2001 and in the 4th grade a friend of mine had a Gameboy with Pokémon blue and that was an old console but in Portugal it was a new thing so I doubt t shirt of the brand where widely available in Portugal in 1996 and I doubt it even more that prisons bue clothes for its inmates when they get out

If you think that a low cost movie must be bad, forgot that idea. This movie is a dramatic cruise of the Portuguese underground high school of movie lovers. Portuguese Jon carpenter's like movie.