The direction of Fernando Meirelles challenges and pays tribute to most of Martin Scorcese’s body of work. Cinematographer Cesar Charlone could arguably be compared with Emmanuel Lubezki (Children of Men, Ali) and frequent Spielberg collaborator Janusz Kaminski (Munich, Saving Private Ryan).
When the technical aspects of filmmaking are able to match the drama of the story and craft of the actors, art is created. Is that schmaltzy enough for’ya? Fortunately, this film is everything BUT schmaltzy.
It’s refreshing to watch films that break new ground through stylization while still cribbing ideas from prior works. The quick editing, mind-bending camera angles, and gritty gun fights were as refreshing to watch as films like Fight Club and The Matrix. One such angle includes the camera tracking a chicken. They had to use a fake chicken for some of those shots. If they didn't, then I don't know what to tell you.
Set in the 1960’s through the 80’s, City of God is the “true story” of life inside the slums of Rio De Janiero in a time of poverty, drugs, and gang wars.
At the center of the controversy is Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), a teenage “groovy” who spends his days skipping class, smoking weed, and perfecting his photography skills. He and his friends, Benny (Phellipe Haagensen), Angelica, played by Alice Braga (I Am Legend, Redbelt), Tiago (Daniel Zettel), and Knockout Ned (Seu Jorge) have managed to maneuver through the danger of the slums throughout most of their young lives until the escalating drug trade and organized crime overtake them.
The story is narrated by Rocket, our protagonist. The problem is that the subplots are more interesting than Rocket's story, so Rocket seems to play the backdrop for most of the movie. You could equate him with Vinny Chase from Entourage, who is also the least interesting of all of the characters despite him being the central character. The same could be said about Jerry Seinfeld.
Leading the crime wave is Lil’ Ze (Leandro Firmino), one of the m
ost underrated movie villains of all time.
Again without embellishing, Lil’ Ze can best be described as a combination of Ralph Fiennes’ portrayal of Ramon Goeth in Schindler’s List, Joe Pesci’s Tommy Mottola, and any version of Scarface (i.e. Pacino, Deniro).
Lil’ Ze murders his way to the top of the drug empire and needlessly plans a war with other drug lords to increase his power. Eventually the victims of Lil’ Ze’s reign fight back, which results in a full scale war with the slum as the battle ground. The police are of no help to civilians and wouldn’t dare cross any gangs.
At the center of the film are ideologies. Each character presented lives in a situation they feel is inescapable (drugs, violence, murder, etc.) and must adopt a new way of life in order to survive--much like the chicken in the beginning of the film. Rocket escapes through his photography, Tiago becomes a druggie, and others die when trying their own ideas.
Much like In Bruges, the setting in which the violence and war ensue is dreamlike. The scene featuring Rocket and his friends enjoying a day on the beach looks like a Newport cigarette ad. You know, the one that shows young people on an exotic beach smiling and playing games. I know, right—it’s a cigarette ad.
Anyway, the shot of Rocket sitting with Angelica on the beach, which is also on the movie poster, is arguably the most iconic scene because of its paradox to the rest of the film. Meirelles establishes irony by sho
wcasing scenic areas of Rio De Janiero as a contrast to the violence that ensues nearby. It’s amazing to know that such violence and death can happen in a place so beautiful.
With Rio De Janiero's recent win as the location for the 2016 Olympics, I wonder how the city plans to handle the violence and crime which has only grown since the events that took place in City of God.
9 out of 10
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