"O Outro Lado da Rua" or "The Other Side of the Street" tells the story of Regina, a lonely 65 year old who works as an undercover informer for the police, using the code name Snowwhite. When she thinks she witnesses one of her neighbors from across the road murdering his wife, she immediately calls the police. They respond to the call, but even though they find the dead woman, they can't find anything wrong in the men's apartment. They say it's a natural cause of death, but Regina doesn't believe them and she will do anything to prove that she was right. She starts following him, but isn't always very successful doing so. And instead of keeping her job and her emotional life separate, she soon falls in love with the man who she thinks is a murderer...
Next to being a good drama and a thriller, this movie also gives some interesting social criticism. People who are a bit older or retired are often lonely and aren't considered as useful anymore, they are seen as a part of the decor and certainly shouldn't talk or have their own opinion... I guess that's an idea that not only can be found in Brazil, where this movie was made, but all over the world. It's the same over here. Once people have reached a certain age, they seem to be considered as useless for society, which isn't correct of course. As this movie shows, even older people should and can have a meaningful life and certainly shouldn't be alone.
Next to the message, this movie also has other strong points. One of these points is the acting. Fernanda Montenegro and Raul Cortez did a very nice job portraying the two older and lonely people who meet each other in this weird way. They are very believable and there has never been a moment that I considered their acting as unbelievable or over the top. Their performances are sincere and beautiful. Other nice features are the photography and the music, which both give this movie an extra fine touch.
Overall this is a movie that probably will not be loved by the majority of the public because there aren't any flashy action shots or fast car chases in it. But for all the people that love the alternative and foreign cinema, this is certainly worth a watch. I give it a 7.5/10.
