Released on video in the United States as Buccanner Soul, this film is a remarkable achievement comparable to the best work of Jean Luc-Godard, Agnes Varda, Chris Marker, Raul Ruiz and Tomas Guiterrez Alea. It is a shame that this film has had such little fanfare in the United States and surely a sign of the bleak times for foreign films that are really rooted to a specific time and place. Above all this is a BRAZILIAN film, capturing a great sense of the energetic, revolutionary, tragic modern history of Brazil. This is not a traditional narrative film, but, a fractured narrative that jumps through space and time exploring the deeply felt friendship of men from boyhood to middle age. The film transcends the normal limitations of buddy movies by having the two friends lives enriched (rather than threatened by a host of other characters male and female, young and old, gay and straight). The film is also not afraid to confront the natural attraction (emotional and sexual) between boys and men who classify themselves heterosexual. This is really a beautiful and rewarding film on so many levels (politically, in terms of fractured narrative strategies, and formally). Find this film on video if you can and rent it. You will not be disappointed.
