DVDfever.co.uk - Linha De Passe DVD reviewDVDfever.co.uk - Charts, News and Reviews of Blu-rays, DVDs, Games, CDs, Hardware, Laserdiscs, Cinema Films & more
Mauricio Andrade Ramos, Walter Salles, Daniela Thomas and Rebecca Yeldham
Writers:
Braulio Mantovani, Daniela Thomas and George Moura
Executive Producer:
Francois Ivernel
Music:
Gustavo Santaolalla
Cast:
Cleuza: Sandra Corveloni
Denis: Jo‹o Baldasserini
Dario: Vin'cius de Oliveira
Dinho: JosŽ Geraldo Rodrigues
Reginaldo: Kaique Jesus Santos
Expectations were high for this gritty movie,
directed by Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas, of Motorcycle Diaries fame, and written by City Of God's Braulio
Mantovani. And all though the result is far more low-key than its illustrious
predecessors, this is just as compelling and absorbing a story of modern South
America. Naturalistic and almost documentary in style, it's the tale of a pregnant
single mother, Cleuza, and her four fatherless sons eking out an existence in the
Brazilian city of Sao Paolo.
Playing Cleuza, Sandra Corveloni excelled enough to deservedly win the Cannes Best
Actress award - and she is matched by the debut performances of many of her young
co-stars, as the entire family struggles to stay afloat and quite literally keep the faith.
Particularly touching is the youngest boy, Reginaldo, played by Kaique Jesus Santos,
as he travels endlessly on local bus, convinced that the driver must be his father. As
for his budding athlete brother Dario (Vin'cius de Oliveira, previously so memorable
in Salles' wonderful movie, Central Station), he somehow manages to achieve the
impossible in making his many football-playing scenes believable and inspirational,
so the viewer is actually rooting for him to succeed. The other brothers, Denis and
Dinho try to be honest and do the right thing, as gas station attendant and motorcycle
courier, but they are gradually and inevitably drawn into the spiralling cynicism and
crime in the pitiless city.
Perhaps we can learn more from the hardship and hard luck stories contained in this
unshowy, but beautifully filmed drama about real people, and imagined and created
by those who know their country, than the endless movies about American and
European travellers 'finding themselves' on their exotic travels.
But don't think it's all doom and gloom and worthiness in Linha De Passe, for there is
humour sparkling through the entire film, and the end result is an impressive and
enjoyable addition to the latest wave of South American cinema.
No extras to speak of. Vanilla topping, if you will.
As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B
37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier.
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