City of God

2002 [PORTUGUESE]

Action / Crime / Drama

184
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Certified Fresh 91% · 165 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 97% · 250K ratings
IMDb Rating 8.6/10 10 797137 797.1K

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Plot summary

In the slums of Rio, two kids' paths diverge as one struggles to become a photographer and the other a kingpin.


Uploaded by: FREEMAN
April 28, 2018 at 10:43 AM

Top cast

Alice Braga as Angélica
Leandro Lima as Bando Cenoura - Carrot's Gang
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU
1.07 GB
1280*694
Portuguese 2.0
R
23.976 fps
2 hr 10 min
Seeds 59
2.07 GB
1920*1040
Portuguese 2.0
R
23.976 fps
2 hr 10 min
Seeds 100+

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by ccthemovieman-1 8 / 10

Shocking, Stylish & Brutal Story

Wow, this is one of those different movies - meaning not run-of-mill by any means - and one of those which isn't pleasant to watch but one you might find yourself mesmerized by it.

This also is one of those "based on a true story" films which makes it even more shocking, if its mostly true. The story is of the many young (pre and early-teen) criminals inhabiting an area just outside the big city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. It has the feel of a documentary with real-life street kids but is upgraded considerably by fantastic camera-work, some very innovative cinematography. In other words: stylish.

Make no mistake: without that stylish look, the film might be too much of a downer. The street kids are interesting but really brutal, so be prepared. I mean, how often do you see 12-year-old killers portrayed on film? The violence, language and drug use are rough in here and what a sad comment on this social problem in Brazil, a country with a huge problem with these street gangs. Overall, a very tough but fascinating film.

Reviewed by SnoopyStyle 8 / 10

The Godfather of Rio

Li'l Zé and his gang is having fun chasing a runaway chicken in a Rio favela called the Cidade de Deus "City of God". The chicken comes to Rocket with his camera. Then flashbacks to the 60s tell the story of Rocket who becomes the photographer of his friends. Li'l Zé and his best friend Benny grow up to be the crime boss of the city. There's Carrot who is a criminal leader tolerated by Benny and there's Knockout Ned who turned away from crime.

It is truly a new Godfather. It is the harsh brutality of the slums. It's the randomness of the world. It beats with a human heart. It's a little messy. It's visceral. The kids are played by kids. The criminals are remorseless. The amateur actors are authentic. The cinematography is terrific. The location can't get more real. It is a new crime masterpiece.

Reviewed by Leofwine_draca 10 / 10

Sprawling crime masterwork from Brazil

Wow, what a great movie! I'd heard plenty about this low budget Brazilian gangster film before I got around to seeing it when it showed on television in the middle of the night, but I was fully prepared to be disappointed. Many times a film has been hyped up so much that it's a let down when I finally see it, but not so this one: CITY OF GOD is a tremendous film, a masterpiece in fact. In many ways it's like a lower budget, more realistic version of the classic gangster films made by the likes of Martin Scorcese and Guy Ritchie and in many places it equals the heights of those two directors at the top of their game.

The film follows the misadventures of various, almost feral children as they attempt to eke out an existence and then a living as they grow up in a Rio de Janeiro slum in the '60s, '70s and '80s. The central narrator isn't a gangster at heart; all he wants is to become a photographer and yet he's caught up time and time again in the violence surrounding his drug-dealing friends. Particularly good is Leandro Firmino as Li'l Ze, a psychotic hood who becomes a gang leader and who thinks nothing of having kids executed if they dare so much as get in his way.

The direction is top notch, with Fernando Meirelles employing hand cameras on more than one occasion, so that this has a vivid, on the street look to it. The editing is slick and sleek, the music fits the action perfectly, and almost every actor seems to fit his or her role like a glove. I'm trying to think of things to criticise, but there's nothing, really: the story drew me in, got me interested in finding out what happened to the characters, and before I knew it a good two and a half hours had gone by while I sat back and was lost in this film's world. Of course, it's a tremendously violent movie, unflinching in its depiction of violence against children, and one of the most hard-hitting films I've witnessed, so not for those who prefer family-friendly fare; but if you're up for it, this just might be one of the best, most realistic crime films ever made.

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