Admirable film.

A Masterpiece!

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

'Amores Possíveis' (POSSIBLE LOVES) is fine little film from Brazil courtesy of writers Paulo Halm and Maya Werneck Da-Rin and polished young director Sandra Werneck. Filmed in Rio de Janeiro in Portuguese, the story of three possible outcomes of a potential love affair is cleverly conceived and is acted with aplomb by a fine cast of actors, and though billed as a comedy it shines with some dramatic truths that carry it far beyond the usual fluff so often before us in this country.The 'story' is three stories in one: fifteen years ago Carlos (the inordinately handsome and talented Murilo Benício) was to meet a fellow college student Júlia (beautiful and elegant Carolina Ferraz) and the film takes that moment and creates three possibilities: 1) Carlos married Júlia and had a son with her and in the present has left her for a male lover Pedro (Emílio de Melo), 2) Carlos longed for her while being married to a comfortable but not exciting Maria (Beth Goulart) and meets Júlia as the film opens, leaving his Maria for his long desired romance with her, and 3) Carlos has never married, is a lothario living with his possessive widowed mother (Irene Ravache) and encounters the artsy looney Júlia as yet another conquest. How these three possibilities for the true ending of a fifteen year missed cinema appointment reveal the true version is the story of the film. Using the same actors for the various roles and mixing the progress of each story variation can confuse the audience at times, but the actors are so fine in demonstrating the varied aspects of each character transformation that the film becomes a suspenseful puzzle. The endings of each version contain important lessons about love and, well, you just have to watch it to enjoy the details.The film fizzes with sexual excitement on many levels and is completely unafraid to take a realistic look at both straight and gay relationships, showing how similar they actually are. It is not a 'great film' nor does it purport to be, but is certainly entertains and showcases some superbly talented and beautiful actors from Brazil! In Portuguese with English subtitles. Recommended for all audiences. Grady Harp

I saw this film yesterday in a very tiny cinema in Frankfurt, in the back part of a bar. A really cool place that created the necessary environment to watch this movie.This is a film one would always like to see. Three different stories based on almost the same script, with different characters and life situations. One of these stories with a different ending. The one that all of us would like to be the `real' one, if there is such a thing like a real one, the one with the happy ending. Unfortunately the most improbable one.This three parallel stories are not based, as `Run Lola Run', in three different consequences on how the main character decides in front of one situation. This is a nice script experiment, involved in a very funny movie. I enjoyed it, and I hope you will enjoy it too.

I saw this film at the 2002 Filmfest DC (Washington), and was blown away by the complexity of the characters (in each possible lifeline), the giddy zest of the film's story and general flow, and the fact that this film was not picked up for distribution in the USA. I won't go into the specifics of the story (it has been some time since I saw the film and others have spoken to the plot elements and storytelling style), but this seems to be a clear choice for some Miramax-type distributor to swoop down and make a few million off of. I would love to see this film again -- frankly, I miss it -- and I'm glad to see it's still making the festival circuit. It gives me hope that this film might someday make it to DVD. A great film for someone who read "Choose Your Own Adventure" books as a child.

An interesting film, but not a great one. The basic question--"What if...." is always fascinating. This question is not really explored carefully, but it does provide the basis for the plot.The actors are handsome/beautiful, and the love scenes are artful. However, don't expect gritty Latin American realism. We are shown a Brazil where everyone is attractive, everyone lives in elegant apartments, and there is beauty everywhere. (No slums, no crime, no blemishes.)Basically, this film is pared down to three love stories--no one worries about work, or social issues, or whether Lula will become President of Brazil. No one talks about anything besides love, or maybe really sexual passion.Still, this movie is not boring, it is great to look at, and it is honest in it's own limited way. Not worth a special trip, but worth seeing if the opportunity presents itself.