georgiamorgan

I just saw this film yesterday in Lisbon, where it had won the Jury Prize at Indielisboa. I knew nothing about it except for the fact it was Brazilian, and I had lived in Brazil for eight years, so went to see it with my Brazilian partner. We both loved it. It was a extremely sad film overall but had moments of great humour and of great tenderness. Some people have criticized it for not being "political" enough but it was all the more moving for focusing on the personal rather than on slogans. For those of us who know Brazil it comes over as really authentic. The dialogue is spot-on. Recommended for anyone who likes thoughtful cinema.

I can't say I was disappointed because I should have guessed that a religious film would be like this, but I had hoped it would have some good points. It was tedious, overlong, repetitive, and, at times ridiculous (God's voice?). The landscape was nice, I guess, and the acting wasn't bad. I felt sorry for the actors having to work with a clunky script like that. It left me completely cold. I was not interested in any of the characters or what became of them. The dialogues were excruciatingly unnatural and painfully slow. I didn't go to see Scorsese's other two "religious" films and I wish I hadn't gone to see this one. I only went because I live in Portugal and it was about two Portuguese priests. Dumb reason, huh?