Cazuza: Time Doesn't Stop

I was very interested in watching Cazuza. His story is well-known by most of the Brazilians that lived during the 80s rock moment. But Cazuza himself was not really explained in the movie. It was based in the book of Lucinha Araujo, Cazuza's mother, and it seems that she tried to convince herself and the others that she was a good mother and he was a good son. If you are a parent, you can take you own conclusion about this. All the self-destructive behavior of Cazuza doesn't fix in this scenario.From where it came from? For his rebellion with the homophobic world? Or it was a consequence of the inexistence of limits or punishments in a high-class Brazilian family? For who knows the story, the movie looks like a poor documentary. If Cazuza is considered the real Brazilian poet of the 80s, he deserved a better explanation.

The impression I had on the first hour of the movie was that it was more like a scrapbook of some memorable events in Cazuza's life rather than a biography. The scenes have no connection, it seems they're only there for you to know what happened. It looks like a story told by a fan who collects news about him. There is no drama, nothing to expect, no plot at all.

The last 30 minutes aren't really a change, but it's a more dense part, because of the discovery of the disease that is slowly killing him.

The only things that save the movie are the performance of Daniel de Oliveira, not only on stage but also off, and of course the songs and poetry of Cazuza.

This film cannot be seen as a good piece of film as it is. Out of context, it has no special meaning besides the point it constantly tries to make of the clichés we have heard over and over again. That is, gay men taking drugs, having sex with everyone they see and being self-destructive. As it usually happens with Brazilian cinema, this movie doesn't try to break away from the national social basis and only repeats all the beliefs the citizens and foreigners have of the country and its own people. A very sad thing to do, a very bad message to pass. I watched this film remembering my mother telling me how horrible it is when people start smoking joints and end up dying of aids for sharing needles and being promiscuous. That's what everyone goes around saying in Brazil, in sensationalist terms, and this is how this film is presented. It is a true pity that such a good composer and singer had to be pictured in such horrible colours. And worst still that Brazil hasn't learnt how to do something new that will challenge the people to expand their way of thinking into new areas.

Cazuza was the lead singer of Barao Vermelho, a Brazilian rock n'roll band, back in the early 80s. Their songs were distinguished by the creative work of Frejat, the guitar player. But it was Cazuza's strong, sexual, acid and ironic lyrics and attitude who made of him "the best poet of his generation" - according to Caetano Veloso. He followed a solo career during the second half of that decade, and died out of AIDS in 1990, aged 32.

The movie covers from his early 20s, the first rehearsals with Barao Vermelho, until his death. The apex of Barao at the first Rock in Rio, and the drama of discovering the disease. Expect a lot of sex, drugs and high quality 80s Brazilian rock n'roll.

Daniel Oliveira incorporates Cazuza in a way only seen before in the Jim Morrison/Val Kilmer possession during the shooting of The Doors. An special attention to the role of Lucinha, Cazuza's mother (and writer of the book upon which the movie was based), played here by the all-talented Marietta Severo.

Although one can notice some lack of resources in one or other scene - esp.the ones in stage - the story of the bisexual genius in his road to excess is told in the most wholehearted way.

How can we know if this was a superficial picture of Cazuza? Could we ever separate the man from the myth? The movie did show him as being a spoiled kid, self destructive and with no boundaries and at the same time, his passion and ability to make poetry out of anything - politics, love, relationships and even his imminent encounter with death. For whoever expected the movie to be a political statement, I understand the disappointment. The movie focused on his legacy (probably what he'd proud of the most): his music. Excellent work from main actor Daniel de Oliveira impersonating Cazuza - especially towards the end, it was amazing, very touching. I liked the way it ended, not falling for an easy soap opera melodrama.

I'd recommend it - great movie.