Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

Don't Believe the Hype

Brilliant and touching

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

A good national trilher, based on the real facts, in the biographical book of Fernando Gabeira, who confessed that he had done these actions, shows the idealistic young people making a crime to defend causes that they thought noble, good to see and to know this portrait of that time of the Brazil. The young people I believed were engaged in a political movement that they thought was good, but they did not deeply understand the motives that led to Brazilian military occupation, only now with the facts that have recently occurred in the country could we understand the reasons and value the importance of intervention in that time. I recommend it, good to know our history and counting on great national actors. The filmmaker is one of the great national directors, it is about Bruno Barreto, who has done among other films the recent "Rare Flowers" (2013) and the acclaimed "Dona Flor and His Two Husbands" (1976). As protagonists we have the great American actor Alan Arkin who did among others Argo (2012) and Little Miss Sunshine (2006) and also counts on the national actors like Pedro Cardoso who made among other films, The Great Family: The Movie (2007).

"Four Days in September" is a film that most here in the United States know nothing about--even though the film is a recreation of the real life kidnapping of the US ambassador to Brazil back in, 1971. Frankly, here in the States, we know very little about the country and many people I know think they speak Spanish there! It's sad and those who DO know a bit about the country get it from films like "City of God"! Because I am a history teacher, I was thrilled to learn more about the political turmoil in Brazil in the 1970s and their military dictatorship--as, I hate to admit it, my knowledge of the country is lacking. And, for me, the most surprising thing about the film was to learn that this government was in place all the way until 1989! Wow.As for the film, it's a recreation of the evens leading to and following the abduction of the American ambassador--with a strong emphasis on the motivations and reactions of the younger members of this Communist group, MR8. Aside from a case of very capable Brazilian actors, American actor Alan Arkin is on hand as the ambassador. Overall, the film is excellent for many reasons. The script and direction are very good (without a lot of politics and without a strong bias) and the acting very good. In fact, I have no real complaints about the film, though I wonder about the further adventures of MR8--the film really had me wonder about the decades following this kidnapping.By the way, though the film is about communist revolutionaries, the film is handled in a relatively dispassionate way and can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of their political orientation. It did seem to paint these leftists somewhat favorably, but not in a manner that seemed overly sentimental or biased. Plus, it did show the characters on the right as well--a smart move in the long run. Well worth seeing.

After the dark era of the 1980s - when the only movies being produced locally were, to put it mildly, very erotic - the Brazilian Movie Industry struggled to regain international credibility. And, while "Carlota Joaquina" and "O Quatrilho" clearly paved the way, this is (in my opinion) the production that put Brazil back on the charts. Based on a true story, "O que É isso, Companheiro?" is brought to life by actors who are probably the best performers of the currently generation, and earned an Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. The most amazing aspect of this movie, however, goes unknown by international audiences: two of its main actors (Pedro Cardoso and Luiz Fernando Guimarães) achieved success, in Brazil, through their work as comedians.

Four Days in September shows with great emotion, a black period of Brazil's story, the military dictature. A wonderful film, announced for best foreign film. A must see film.