Vai~E~Vem

Light, peaceful, wickedly erudite humour of a kind long since unheard of. A Portuguese film from a Portuguese film maker. A film about "everydayness" and availability to be aroused by others and by their words. An experience of declined immortality for the sake of life.

João César Monteiro, as always, in all is movies, showed a great disregard for conventions. Branca De Neve was a good example of that, Vai e Vem is also a good example of that.

Considered a madman by some and a fraud by others, is attempts to create movies that were at the same time groundbreaking and interesting were always misunderstood.

One of the greatest and most underrated Portuguese Directors of all time, no doubt about that.

Now one thing is, if you are not from Lisbon, or if you never visited Lisbon, you won't ever understand this movie. Because this lives out from the feeling that Lisboa is... I see this as an ode to the things that João Cesar Monteiro found dearest to him. Almost a farewell to life itself, and since this was Monteiro's last film, this is revealed to be true.

The last shot of the movie is the strangest thing I've seen ever in cinema. And you can take many conclusions out of it. Maybe he's trying to invert the papers, watching the spectators as they are watching him. Saying goodbye to the people that admired is work for decades.

Just like all the good things, you need to have a developed sense of inner-depth, to stomach this. Or else you're just going to quit after the first 2 minutes.

This is a unique film-maker, this is a unique film. If you don't appreciate you can always go watch, Scary Movie or some Meg Ryan movie. There's no problem with that.

Great were my expectations when I went to watch this film, because the Portuguese film critics were writing wonderful things about it. And how disappointed did I get! Sixty six shots in three hours and and nothing new. The film is nothing but an old man's fantasizing with young servants.

Monteiro has always had a very special approach to filmmaking, and he has his place in Portuguese film history, but that doesn't make this movie any better. What a pity.

This is a very interesting film, but I'm afraid only a Portuguese person from Lisbon can fully understand it's unique feeling.

João Cesar Monteiro died, and this film are his final words.

"Vai e Vem" is art of a man who knows he's near his end. João Vuvu is João César Monteiro dying, like he's capable of touching death. There's nothing similar to this state. Everything comes and goes back again.

In this film, JCM humor is different. There's an even bigger amount of sadness in it.

Wonderfuly heavy.

However, it's hard to watch and probably boring if you're not in the mood, or if you're not able to understand it.

Amazing movie. It flows in a peculiar way. There are, from the very start of the movie, shots of him going about his daily life and you have the opportunity to see glimpses of Lisbon through these commonplace trips. The movie is sprinkled with bits of humor here and there but what really makes the movie is the sheer atmosphere of it. Even more than in other movies of his, there is a very enthralling meditative aspect to it. It is more of an inner voyage that only Monteiro would have been able to depict. You will certainly love it. Just don't expect mainstream Hollywood nonsense; this is a different universe altogether.