City of Men
In director Paulo Morelli's follow-up to Fernando Meirelles's Oscar-nominated City of God, 18-year-old best friends Acerola (Douglas Silva) and Laranjinha (Darlan Cunha) are struggling to come to terms with the pressures of manhood in the midst a bloody neighborhood gang war. Rodrigo dos Santos and Jonathan Haagensen also star in this brutally realistic and heartbreaking exposé on life in the mean streets of Rio de Janeiro.
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I fell in love with the series and the movie was no exception. What made the City of Men series and subsequent movie so compelling was the focus on the community and everyday life in a favela. It displays the remarkable ability of people to cope and triumph in the face of crushing poverty. The character development is outstanding and I actually feel like I am going to miss Acerola and Laranjinha. If you liked City of God, you will like this.- Trishha
This film will have much more meaning to viewers who have seen the series, "City of Men" - of which this is much more of a sequel than "City of God." Sure, there are flashback scenes from the series to give you an idea of who the two main characters are & what they've been through, but it's not the same as watching the series and literally seeing the two characters grow up over the years. But even without that background, this is a powerful and engaging film, and well worth seeing.
- Chucky
Fans of the Brazilian TV series "City of Men" will love this movie of the same name. From the director of "City of God" this is a continuation of the story of Acerola and Laranjinha, two boys growing up in a Favela (hillside slum) in Rio De Janeiro. The English subtitles are better now, slower and easier to read. Some of the names and nicknames have been translated. Madrugadao (a local gang leader) is "Midnight", Acerola is now "Ace", Cristiane is "Cris" and Laranjinha is "Wallace", which I think is the English equivalent of his real name (Laranjinha is a nickname). Anyway Ace and Wallace are both turning eighteen and they continue the struggle to survive as the neighborhood erupts into an all out gang turf war. If you have already watched the series it makes it nice because you already know the characters. However this movie stands on it's own merit and is excellent even without the context of the series. If you had to choose between the TV series and the movie, I would definitely go with the movie. It has more action and it's darker and more dramatic. But the series is good too, so in order to maximize your pleasure watch it first if you can.
- couchdog53
I tried a few times but was never able to really get into the television series. That's not to say it was bad, only that it didn't quite click with me. So, going into this film I was not only lacking much of the history that had been established through the series, but I also held a certain apprehension about whether I'd even enjoy the film at all. Right from the start I recognized the gorgeous style of City of God, and I knew I had nothing to worry about. City of God is an impossible act to follow, but this film does it as well as could realistically be expected. Very strong performances with true, edgy dialog, unusual and compelling locations, and truly masterful camera work all add up to one great movie. There's a good amount of back story here, giving the viewer just enough knowledge of the personal history of the two leads that anyone unfamiliar with the series will not feel lost. If you enjoyed City of God you must watch this, but don't expect it to be a sequel.
- Photo Heathen