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If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

This is a fascinating, extremely well done, documentary style Indie film about the life of a down and out guy who defies narrow definitions. The story description focuses on the most outré elements of this man's life: Brazillian pimp, street fighter, drag queen, thief, criminal. The outstanding achievement of this film, though, is to put his life into context, that he is also protector, father, dreamer, artist; and to neither airbrush, glamorize nor excuse his life. This film goes further to put his life into context in the racial mix of Brazil of the 1930s, when slaves were freed but not allowed to hold jobs, the Brazil of Carnival where even the most macho men appear in drag. Deftly touching on all, but not belaboring any one of these elements of bigotry and systemic injustices, we are given a real portrait of an unusual family who are revealed in their entirety, not entirely good, not entirely bad, really human. The performances of the main four characters are simply outstanding and raw, so much so that you begin to wonder if this really IS a documentary. The small supporting roles are all equally strong. A riveting film in all respects; here the art direction and filming styles really augment the gritty reality and emotional perspective of an edgy life in a difficult time and place.This is a morally complex film, not for children at all, not for those who do not like indie films. If you see it on DVD, DEFINITELY listen to the commentary, the Director DOES achieve what he hopes to convey. This is not a film you "love" - it is one that deserves deep respect.

I found this movie mesmerizing, both due to the lead performance and the depiction of a time and place previously unfamiliar to me. A previous user comment said that Jaoa is heterosexual and that Lorita's baby is his. Just for clarification, he is not, and neither is the baby. I don't know how accurate this bio-pic really is in portraying the life of Jaoa Francisco vos Santos. But the character is a perplexing and complex mixture of violence and tenderness, talent and self-destruction. Clearly a victim of internalized homophobia and brutal class hierarchy, Jaoa knows he is destined for greatness, but can't keep his underlying rage from exploding all over everyone, friend and foe. It's dog eat dog in the slums of Rio, but Jaoa creates a family with a female prostitute named Lorita, her baby(on whom Jaoa dotes sweetly), and the greatly put-upon and abused servant, Tabu. Jaoa takes one step forward, then two steps back--straight in to prison, over and over. The real Jaoa Francisco vos Santos was a highly celebrated female impersonator and lived to the ripe old age of 76, despite an extremely punishing existence. I think the film reveals naked humanity, sometimes the viewer is horrified but can't stop peering into the wreckage.

I felt a gap between the movie itself, and the closing credits in which later history about the Madam Sata character is narrated along with film clips of Rio Carnival. That gap is a jagged edge for me, and yet I cannot propose a smoother ending or smoother inclusion of the personality of Madam Sata into the main.Other than that comment, I was caught into the excellent casting, direction and editing. The documentary seemed to be somewhat detached in time although we knew the inclusive dates as it covered multiple issues of race, prejudice, anger, bigotry, self-identity -- and all things that are experienced or tested by humans in sexual drive and satisfaction. It is in the latter that we definitely feel the struggle, violence, growth and pride of Joao Francisco dos Santos as a strongly driven heterosexual man that ultimately yields to his comfort in cross-dressing while maintaining a jagged, devoted relationship with Laurita and her/his child.Wonderful mosaic

Confused and shallow biography of Madame Satã, a notorious Brazilian homossexual thief fails in the attempt of give a large, acurate and more profound vision of a so curious and rich man. The movie just go on and on telling about his homosexual relationship, his exibitions as a gay singer in some old and decadent places but forget to portrait the human side of the main character, mainly his relations with the press, the intelectual of his time. The direction is electric but at the end the result is just routine. Ramos gives a superb performance as Satã but he doesn't save this lame misfire. I give this a 4 (four).