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| CITY OF GOD (2002) | |
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In the 50s and 60s outside Rio de Janeiro the Brazilian government isolated the poor by building a huge ghetto a distance from Rio de Janeiro. The ghetto turns into a sizeable city that continues to grow as more people are bussed into the poverty of the area. The film pushes a message of where there is poverty there are also dreams of something better. The two common means to achieve these dreams are either hard work or escape of the cruel reality through drugs. The later choice is the common alternative as it is easier to obtain and offers a quick fix to the problem, since hard work that pays enough to escape the ghetto is difficult to find. As the story begins, the audience is introduced to the young boy Buscapé, the narrator, whose brother is a member in a small gang called The Tender Trio. Buscapé tells a tale of the how ideas lead to the quest for the "better something" as The Tender Trio seeks the holy grail through robbery. However, these robberies seems futile as the real money lays with those who control the drugs. As drugs become more accessible the drug dealers begin to control their own territories, and in Buscapé's story the greed for more leads to a bloody path lined with murder and tragedy. Through Buscapé the audience is enlightened about the birth of violence which is related to the drugs and greed in the city called the City of God. City of God is a strong and disturbing film as it depicts young children being victims of the violence or as the actual assailants as the gangs demands the loyalty. In addition, the films message is enhanced by terrific cinematography and a well written story, which is based on true events and individuals. City of God offers a brilliant cinematic experience that will not escape the mind of the audience as it pulls the audience through a painful story that continues to take place in the ghetto outside Rio de Janeiro where one person dies every 30 minutes from violence. |
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Brazil / France / USA |
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| REVIEWED | |
| 2/27/2004 | |
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The Internet Movie Database. |
