Cidade de Deus (City of God)
2002, Brazil
Director: Kátia Lund, Fernando Meirelles
Screenplay: Bráulio Mantovani
Novel: Paulo Lins
What is it about organized crime that it’s spawned so many great movies? The Godfathers and Goodfellas are considered classics, and more recently films like American Gangster and City of God have continued the gangster tradition of excellence. Perhaps the power is in the narrative; it’s a genre full of desperate characters and intrigue, of cops and robbers and people somewhere in between. If City of God does not have the masterfully constructed story of the Godfathers, or the fantastically sustained drama of American Gangster, it at least compensates with a fresh directorial style and a splendidly realized sense of location.
The story is told by Rocket, a budding photographer growing up in the slums of Rio De Janeiro, which are euphemistically termed The City of God. His private experiences make up a portion of the film but never really take on a life of their own, and the greater focus is on the people he encounters. Growing up alongside the destitute but ambitious, he provides a unique perspective of the City’s insular culture – its heroes and villains, its geography, its daily pulse. This is perhaps the film’s most impressive achievement…the City and the events that take place within feel very real. Mantovani accomplishes this using a camera that is not afraid to jump around, and juggles images and moments as effectively as places and perspectives.
The most interesting character is Li’l Zé, a youthful criminal mastermind that grasps for greater things. It almost tempting to say it is his story, for he looms largest in the narrative and everyone else is affected by his existence. The truth is that this film is a story about the City itself; the fact that Li’l Zé dominates feels like more coincidence than necessity. The result is somewhat Chaucerian – stories emerge and fade, and characters play their parts before being assimilated back into obscurity. I think this is simultaneously this film’s strength and weakness. Though it produces a nice ambient feel for the time and place, it wastes some time on lesser characters and falls a little short of a central, dramatic build.
Style: 8
Mantovani keeps the eye interested, particularly in the first half of the film, with washed out colors, time lapses, and interesting camera angles. The opening “chicken chase” sequence is remarkably coherent for all its quick cuts. The second half seemed to tone down the in-your-face directing and let the story speak for itself, a decision I really can’t argue with.
Substance: 7
There is some poignancy to be found here, including the note on which the movie ends. The overall feel of the movie is of a photographer taking snapshots, which is interesting and effective – to a point. Though we are swept forward by the characters and events, I wouldn’t have minded slowing things down a bit and letting the characters react a little more. As a result of the whirlwind pace, there are few interesting exchanges of dialogue.
Overall: 8
City of God is a remarkable movie in many ways. The first half is very entertaining and effectively immerses us in the City’s culture. As the focus shifts to Li’l Zé, all the elements are in place for an epic build up and satisfying conclusion. Though there is still a lot to like moving towards the final act, I feel that some of the energy and tension of the first half is lost. For example, the film takes on a incongruously lighthearted tone just when more darkness could have put it over the top (gangsters posing for photographs?) I heartily recommend this film, but I can’t quite call it a masterpiece.
