City of God (Cidade de Deus) is a highly acclaimed Brazilian movie directed by Fernando Meirelles which I had always wanted to see but never was able to until now. Based on a true story, the film takes place non-linearly and over the span of two decades in the City of God, a notorious slum west of Rio de Janeiro. The movie follows the path of two little boys: One of them, Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues) has a passion for photography and is determined to rise above the poverty, destitution, and gang-related violence that is omnipresent around him. Too smart to be a fishmonger, too kind to be a gangster, Rocket is trying to escape from the destitute life he seems fated to live. The second boy is Li’l Ze (Leanadro Frimino da Hora) who rises on to become City of God’s most powerful and ruthless gang leader. Li’l Ze is wild and unpredictable and has no qualms taking lives for the slightest offense. The movie is mostly focused on the violent rise and fall of Li’l Ze as seen through the eyes (and camera) of Rocket.

Strikingly, City of God is very similar to 2008′s Slumdog Millionaire as Slumdog is almost an identical ripoff of this movie. It is quite similar in that it also depicts the harsh life in the slums of a major city, uses some of the same non-linear chronological tricks used in City of God, and has the same stereotypes of characters inhabiting its harsh world. On the other hand, City of God is in many ways much more grim, shocking, and brutal. Meirelles is not afraid to give some of his most shocking scenes time to sink in. One of the most memorable scene is the one where Li’l Ze asks little kids, barely 7 or 8, whether they want to get shot in the hand or in the foot. After shooting them, he then ask another little boy to execute one of the two. The volatile and ruthless behavior of not only Li’l Ze but also the “Runts”, packs of 7 or 8 yr-old kids with guns (!!!) keeps you on the edge of your seat as you wonder whether someone is going to die needlessly once more. Is reality too hard to take? The movie is not all bleak and the viewer can find a little comical relief with a small section of the movie dedicated to Rocket’s desire to find love or his few puny attempts at becoming a criminal. He never finds the strength to hold-up anyone because everyone he meets are so kind to him and he quickly gives up. Unlike your average Hollywood movie, those scenes are not contrived or used as time filler but fit in perfectly with the rest of the movie and give relevant background into one of the main character.

The performance in the movie are first-rate especially when you learn that only one of the character was played by a professional actor while everyone else was people hand-picked from the slums. The cinematography is superb with major part of the movie shot with hand-held cameras which gave the movie a gritty first-hand experience atmosphere. The musical score is also first rate to complement a well crafted movie.

A haunting, yet beautiful view into the harsh and desperate life inside a favela, City of God is one of the most memorable movie you will ever see.

A

Notes: Rated R for strong brutal violence, sexuality, drug content and language. 130 minutes.